Ernest Larbi, a 32-year-old lotto agent with Alpha Lotto Company Limited, has been arraigned before Circuit Court 9 in Accra, for allegedly masterminding a scheme to defraud his employer of GH¢231,720 through the presentation of falsified winning tickets.
The case, presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah, saw Larbi, the first accused (A1), pleading not guilty to multiple counts of defrauding by false pretence and abetment of crime, specifically falsification of accounts.
According to court documents, between February and August 2022, Larbi conspired with Theresa Afful (A2), a lotto writer currently at large and one Belinda Afful, a witness in the case, to present fraudulent winning tickets to Alpha Lotto.
Ernest Larbi, whose duties included receiving tickets from lotto writers and sorting out winners, allegedly colluded with A2 and the witness to forge winning tickets after the draw and submit them for payment under false pretences.
In total, the fraudulent tickets presented by Larbi amounted to GH¢231,720 with proceeds reportedly shared among the trio.
Larbi admitted during a company audit to his involvement and confessed to giving 30% of each amount to his collaborators.
He made a partial refund of GH¢70,000 but later reneged on his promise to pay the balance of GH¢161,720.
Larbi has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢200,000 with two sureties, one of whom must be justified while the other must be an ordinary Ghanaian citizen.
The case has been adjourned to August 28, 2025.
He faces a total of 19 charges, including multiple counts of defrauding by false pretence, contrary to Section 131(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), with amounts ranging from GH¢4,800 to GHS28,800. One count of abetment of crime implicates Theresa Afful in the preparation of the falsified documents.
Chief Inspector Wisdom Alorwu is the lead prosecutor, with Detective Chief Inspector Richmond Ayayi in charge of investigations.
The complainant, Evans Kwaah, is also an Alpha Lotto agent and Larbi’s supervisor.
