Businessman on trial for 2.3 billion-cedi theft

A 43-year-old businessman was on Monday arraigned before an Accra circuit court for allegedly stealing telephone cards valued at 2.3 billion cedis belonging to the Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited.

The accused person, Salisu Adams, pleaded not guilty to three counts of conspiracy, unlawful entry and stealing and was granted bai1 in the sum of 500 million cedis with two sureties, one of which is to be justified.

A bench warrant was issued for the arrest of his accomplice, Christian Kumi, a private security person, who is at large and the case adjourned to May 2, 2007.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector B.Y. Dadzie told the court that on November 22, last year the Fixed Network Services Unit of GT reported the theft of 28,000 pieces of its Easy Phone cards, valued at 2.3 billion, from its stores at Adenta in Accra.

He said following the discovery of the theft, the management of the company took measures to prevent the thieves from using the cards and subsequently blocked them.

After that, he said the Revenue Assurance and Fraud Unit of the company was tasked to liaise with the police to track down those who might have stolen the cards.

Inspector Dadzie said their investigations led to the hideout of the accused person at. Weija, near Accra, on April 12, 2007, where he was arrested by police personnel.

When the house of the accused person was searched, some GT items were found and that prompted the police to conduct a further search in his shop on the Weija-Kasoa Road which led to the retrieval of 27,469 of the stolen cards, valued at 2,25 billion cedis.