On 19th April, 2021, an Accra Circuit Court 8 has granted a Chinese woman, Ms. Chen Jianhua bail in the sum of GHC500,000 with three sureties, one to be justified. The conditions of her bail further request her to deposit her passport at the court registry and reporting to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) every fortnight.
Ms. Chen Jianhua also known as Esther Chen is facing charges of money laundering, possession of forged documents, tax evasion and working in the country without permit.
Ms. Chen Jianhua is standing trial with nine other former employees of some banks who are also on bail in the sum of GHC200,000 with three sureties with no justification. The nine others are in the persons of Mark Fauchie Sobreh, Prosper Sossoes, Kwesi Offei, Khadeeja Busari and Victor Tudzi. The rest are Allison Akua Kwabena, Ernest Kwame Ansah, Jane Ansah and Nuhu Odu.
Ms. Chen Jianhua was arrested by EOCO for allegedly transferring an amount of USD313.59 million to China without proper documentation and authorisation.
Money Laundered
In 2019, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) arrested Ms. Chen Jianhua for allegedly transferring USD313.59 million out of the county illegally. Investigation revealed that between 2011 and 2019, Ms. Jianhua’s laundered a total amount of GHC154.06 million and USD12.36 million through multiple accounts in both local and foreign accounts respectively.
Ms. Chen Jianhua takes both local and foreign currencies from mainly Chinese individuals in Ghana for onward transfer to China without proper documentation.
Bank connivance
The bank connives with Ms. Jianhua to convert Ghanaian cedis to dollars and transfer outside the country without proper documentation.
Ms. Jianhua operates bank accounts of other firms and individuals. She operates three accounts belonging to Venturome Ventures, Synergy Global Consult Limited and Kings Real Estates at one bank. In another bank, she operates the account of Alliqwabs Enterprise and uses the personal accounts of one Christopher King, without his knowledge.
Speaking to the Public Affairs News Desk, the Executive Director, COP Frank Adu-Poku said that during investigations, it became evident that between 2011 and 2019 large amounts of money were moved through multiple bank accounts from Ghana to China by suspect.
According to COP Adu-Poku, Suspect could not explain the source of funds when questioned. However, available documents revealed that Ms. Chen Jianhua operates bank accounts of firms including Venturome Ventures, Synergy Global Consult Limited, Kings Real Estates and some Chinese nationals in Ghana.
He retorted that suspect does not have any registered transfer business in the country to warrant such huge transfers to China.
Synergy Consult accounts
Interaction with Christopher King during interrogation stated that somewhere in 2015, Chen, whom he had known in the past, requested to use his personal bank account in all currencies (cedis, dollars and euros). He denied knowledge of the source funds and therefore could not give the basis of any transaction Jianhua did with Venturome, Alliqwabs and other companies. Ms. Jianhua supported Mr. King’s claim and stated that he had not been part of the account since 2015.
The total credit balances from various sources into the Synergy Consult account as of June 17, 2019 amounted to GHC104.89 million, with debit balances of GHC105.056 million, while that of Kings Royal Real Estates had credit of GHC3.72 million and USD3.364 million.
The case was adjourned to 10th June, 2021.
Source: PAU News Desk