Driver gets six month jail term for car theft

A Circuit Court at Dormaa-Ahenkro in the Dormaa Central Municipality of Bono Region has sentenced a driver, Atta Kofi Moses, 24, to six years in prison for stealing an Opel Vectra taxicab.

Moses pleaded guilty and was convicted on his own plea by the Court, presided by Mr. Samuel Djanie Kotey.

A second accused, Abubakari Mahama, 40, a scrap dealer, was however admitted to a GH¢5,000.00 bail with one surety to be justified for dishonestly receiving the vehicle, registered GT 3924-T.

The vehicle, valued at GH¢10,000.00, belongs to Mr. Patrick Boadi, a tricycle rider, and resident of Nkrankwanta in the Dormaa West District.

Detective Chief Inspector (D/C Inspt.) Robert Apelkiwine told the Court that about a month ago, the complainant engaged the first accused, Moses, a driver of the vehicle, and both agreed the former would be paying the latter monthly salary.

He said Moses moved the taxicab to his residence at Dormaa-Ahenkro and later called the complainant on phone and informed him that the vehicle had developed a fault.

D/C Inspt. Apelkiwine said the complainant thus instructed him to park it for maintenance.

A witness in the case spotted a different taxicab with the complainant’s vehicle’s doors fixed on it and, therefore, informed the complainant who went to Dormaa-Ahenkro and identified them as such.

The Prosecutor said the complainant contacted Moses who confessed to having sold the car to Mahama, a resident of Ahantrase New Road at Dormaa-Ahenkro at a cost of GH¢1,200.00

D/C Inspt. Apelkiwine said the complainant, with the assistance of others, arrested Moses at the Nkrankwanta Police Station and was detained to assist in investigations.

He said Moses led the Police to Mahama’s residence at Dormaa-Ahenkro where Mahama was arrested, the engine and back windscreen of the car were retrieved from him.

The Court ordered Moses to refund GH¢10,000.00, being the value of the vehicle to Boadi.