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14.03.2005 Crime & Punishment

Three persons on 240-million cedi bail for cable theft

14.03.2005 LISTEN
By GNA

Accra, March 14, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court on Monday granted three persons a total of 240 million cedis bail with three sureties for their alleged involvement in a 10.2-million cedi telephone cables theft, property of Ghana Telecom (GT).

Leonard Kofi Asempa, Principal Technician and Francis Nartey, Technician, both employees of GT, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and stealing, while Omar Abubakar, a student, also pleaded not guilty to dishonestly receiving.

The will reappear on March 23.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Eric Amoako told the court, presided over by Mrs Jennifer Tagoe that on March 2, a concerned citizen who would not like the name to be mentioned, hinted the Chief Security of GT that some employees of the company were allegedly stealing the company's telephone cables.

They were transporting the stolen cables in the company's vehicle to sell to one Alhaji Sidi at Awoshie in Accra.

He said based upon the tip-off, personnel from the Nima Divisional CID mounted surveillance in the area.

At about 1315 hours on March 9, the CID saw a Toyota vehicle belonging to GT, which was driven into Sidi's house by the Principal Technician.

DSP Amoako said a few minutes later the CID rushed into the house and found Asempa and Nartey off-loading the cables and Abubakar, the son of Alhaji Sidi was receiving them.

He said the three were then arrested.

When they were about to be taken to the police station, Asempa admitted having stolen the cables and offered to give the police four million cedis.

The police feigned interest and he gave out one million cedis and told them to accompany him to his office to add the remaining three million cedis.

The prosecutor said Nartey also told the police that he and his accomplice had been stealing cables belonging to the GT, since October, last year. He said the third accused person, Abubakar, denied any involvement and added that the two dealt directly with his father.

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