Barber jailed 12 months for double registration

Nkawkaw, May 14, GNA - The Magistrate Court at Nkawkaw, presided over by Mr William Boampong has sentenced a 30-year-old barber, Charles Eugene Odartey Lamptey, to 12 months imprisonment in hard labour for registering twice at two different registration centres at Nkawkaw during the just-ended voters registration exercise. Odartey Lamptey pleaded guilty to the charge of attempting to register and registering at more than one registration centres in the country.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector John Padmore Arthur, told the court that on May 11, this year, a lady the accused is staying with in the same house made a report of illegal electricity connection against him. He said the police arrested him at the Nkawkaw lorry park and a search on him, revealed three photo identity cards bearing the names of Yaw Abedi, Charles Odartey Lamptey and Eugene Odartey Lamptey. The prosecutor said the accused claimed ownership of that of Charles and Eugene Odartey Lamptey, which bore the same photograph, while he said the one bearing the name of Yaw Abedi, was for a friend staying with him.

When questioned by the court why he registered twice, Odartey Lamptey said he first registered at the Unity Garden registration centre but his friends told him to go and register at the Salvation Army Registration centre, which is nearer to his house, but his explanation was not taken and he was sentenced accordingly.