Bizman Allegedly Steals Gh¢14.5m …From The Late John Kumah’s Family Company 

A 53-year-old businessman, Seth Otupri Ntim, is facing criminal charges before the Dansoman Circuit Court for allegedly stealing over GH¢14.5 million from two bank accounts belonging to Sontim Group Limited, a construction firm financially backed by the late Member of Parliament for Ejisu, John Ampontua Kumah.

Ntim is facing two counts of stealing, contrary to Section 124(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), as amended by NLCD 398 of 1969.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges when he appeared before Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit on July 2, 2025.

Upon a request from his Counsel, the court granted bail to the accused in the sum of GH¢15 million, with three sureties: two must be public servants earning not less than GH¢10,000 per month and the third must justify the bail with title deeds equivalent to the bond.

The court further ordered the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder, to refer the case to the Attorney-General’s Office for legal advice, citing the high financial value of the alleged theft, which exceeds the prosecutorial limit of the police prosecutor.

Background 

According to prosecutors, Sontim Group Limited was established in 2016 through the initiative of Joyce Kumah and was entirely financed by her brother, John Kumah. The company was created to operate in the general construction sector.

The court was told that banking arrangements for the firm included two accounts: one at NIB (Law Complex Branch) managed solely by Joyce Kumah, and another at GTBank (Graphic Road Branch), where Lilian Kumah served as the only signatory.

It was stated that Ntim, a U.S. returnee and a member of Pastor Lilian Kumah’s church, Disciples of Christ Ministry, Weija-Accra, was introduced as a shareholder and board member, receiving dividends but with no access to the company’s operational accounts.

The accused was said to have also used a separate account under the company’s name to operate a forex bureau.

However, after the MP’s passing in March 2024, the board resolved that all interest payments from a Government of Ghana bond investment be paid into Lilian Kumah’s personal NIB account.

It was also agreed that Theophilus Owusu Gyimah, Lilian’s younger brother, be added as a co-signatory to the company’s NIB account, alongside Joyce Kumah.

Despite these resolutions, prosecutors alleged that in October 2024, Ntim unilaterally altered the signatories to both the GTBank and NIB accounts without the consent or knowledge of either Joyce or Lilian Kumah.

Suspicion was raised when Lilian began receiving SMS alerts—on her late husband’s mobile phone of cash withdrawals from the GTBank account. Upon inquiry at the bank, she was informed that Ntim had changed the account signatories.

Thus, in December 2024, Ntim unlawfully withdrew GH¢1,000,000 from Sontim Group’s GTBank account, which was under the direct control of Lilian Kumah, wife of the late MP and a signatory to the account.

Further investigations revealed that in February 2025, Ntim allegedly liquidated a Government of Ghana bond worth GH¢13,500,000, held in the company’s National Investment Bank (NIB) account.

When confronted, Ntim reportedly went into hiding. A formal complaint was filed with the Regional CID, Accra, which led to his arrest. In a cautioned statement, given in the presence of his lawyer and an independent witness, Ntim allegedly admitted to using the entire GH¢14.5 million for his personal business activities.

Next Steps

Ntim has been formally charged and is now on bail, pending further legal review and advice from the Attorney-General’s Department. Meanwhile, police say investigations are ongoing to determine the full scope of the alleged fraud and identify any additional individuals or assets linked to the missing funds.

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