Security Officer Jailed 28 Years for Absconding €5,740 from NHIS Administrator

A 40-year-old private security officer, Samuel Nortey Botchway, has been sentenced to 28 years’ imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court for stealing a total of €5,740 from his workplace, the Head Office of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) at North Ridge.

The presiding judge, His Honour Isaac Addo, delivered the ruling at Circuit Court 2 in Accra on Wednesday, convicting Botchway on four counts — one of unlawful entry and three counts of stealing — all contrary to provisions of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

Botchway, who worked with Spy 4 Security Services and was detailed as a permanent day guard at the NHIS Head Office, pleaded guilty to all four charges and was convicted on his own plea.

The court, in its sentencing, considered mitigating factors including the convict’s status as a first-time offender, his relatively young age, and the fact that he refunded GH¢10,000 to the police during the investigation.

However, Judge Addo noted that the nature of the offence — a breach of trust and a premeditated act against a state institution — warranted a deterrent sentence.

Consequently, the court sentenced Botchway to seven years imprisonment on each of the four counts, to run concurrently, making the effective jail term seven years.

According to the brief facts presented by Chief Inspector Jones Lawyer, the complainant is the Patrol Supervisor at Spy 4 Security Services while the victim, Raymond Kwablatsey Avinu, is the Director of Administration at NHIS.

Between April and June 2025, Botchway unlawfully entered Avinu’s office multiple times while the latter was away on official travels. The first theft occurred on May 17, 2025, when €3,300 was stolen.

On May 24, another €1,300 went missing. A final theft occurred on June 19, when €1,000 was stolen — leaving only €40 from the original €5,740, Avinu had locked in his office drawer.

After detecting the repeated thefts, Avinu installed a hidden camera, which later captured Botchway in the act. A formal complaint was lodged with the Nima Police, leading to Botchway’s arrest.

During investigations, Botchway admitted stealing a universal entry card from the Head of Security’s office, which he used to access the victim’s office. He also confessed to using the stolen funds to renovate his room, buy clothes, a refrigerator, television, pay school fees, and for other personal expenses.