Washing bay attendant jailed three years for stealing employer

One out of three washing bay attendants who stole and sold their employer's working tools and abandoned their post has been jailed three years by an Adenta Circuit Court.

Bright Owusu, age 26, charged with stealing, pleaded guilty to stealing hydraulic pumps and a car battery all valued at GHC20,200.

The court presided over by Mrs Sedinam Awo Balokah convicted Owusu on his plea.

Owusu's accomplice who is a minor, was however remanded pending the taking of his plea.

The court directed the Police to send Owusu's accomplice, a scrap dealer to be sent to the Police Hospital for his age to be ascertained medically.

The alleged minor bought the stolen items as scrap and paid a fee of GHC100 for them.

He is facing a charge of dishonestly receiving.

Superintendent of Police Patience Mario, who held the brief of Inspector Gloria Ayim, said the complainant, Yussif Abubakar is a heavy-duty machine operator residing at Mallam, Accra.

Prosecution said the two accused persons reside at Oyibi, Accra.

According to prosecution, the complainant had a washing bay at Oyibi, where he engaged three men including; Owusu to be washing cars and the workers also slept at the workplace.

Prosecution said the complainant left three hydraulic pumps valued at GHC 19,500 and a car battery valued at GHC700 in the care of the workers.

In the second week of December 2021, the complainant visited the washing bay and detected that the items mentioned earlier were stolen and the workers were nowhere to be found.

Prosecution said on January 5, this year, the complainant saw Owusu around the vicinity and apprehended him.

During interrogation, Prosecution said Owusu told the complainant that he stole two of the hydraulic pumps and sold same to the second accused person (the minor) for GHC100.

Prosecution said the Owusu was escorted to the Oyibi Police station, and he also led the Police to apprehend the minor.

GNA