A Ghanaian trader at the center of a high-profile money laundering case has refunded part of the GH¢800,000 that was mistakenly wired into her account earlier this year.
Constance Gyasi Nimako, widely known as Maa Adwoa, has so far returned GH¢230,000 of the total amount she allegedly spent after receiving the accidental bank transfer. Although she was not present in court, her legal team confirmed the partial repayment during the latest hearing. Her mother, Cecilia Gyasi, appeared in court on her behalf.
Presiding Judge Mrs. Evelyn Asamoah declined a bail application, citing the gravity of the matter and a desire to ensure a swift trial. The court further instructed the prosecution to file full disclosures ahead of the next sitting, now scheduled for July 23, 2025.
According to investigators, Constance received the GH¢800,000 transfer into her Ecobank account on February 6, 2025. The amount was originally meant for the personal account of a company CEO but ended up in her account due to an error by Consolidated Bank Ghana (CBG).
Rather than reporting the windfall, Constance allegedly acted fast — moving GH¢300,000 into her mother’s Fidelity Bank account, transferring another GH¢400,000 into her GCB account, and withdrawing GH¢70,500 in cash. When the banks attempted to recover the money, only GH¢29,778.47 remained.
Prosecutors say Constance went on the run, insulted investigators during follow-up attempts, and was eventually arrested in Kumasi. Her mother, who was allegedly instructed by her daughter to withdraw part of the funds, was picked up in Accra.
Both women are facing criminal charges — Constance for stealing and money laundering, and Cecilia for aiding and abetting money laundering. They have denied the allegations.
The initial presiding judge, Mrs. Susan Eduful, ordered Constance’s remand, citing her erratic conduct and fears she might skip future court appearances. Meanwhile, Cecilia was granted bail set at GH¢500,000, with two family members earning at least GH¢2,000 per month required to serve as sureties.
In her defense, Constance reportedly told investigators that the money came from a foreign company she had never dealt with before and claimed she had used the funds to order goods. However, authorities say the investigation is ongoing as they work to trace and recover the rest of the missing cash.
