Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 24 February 2022

The convict was sentenced on his own plea

Caretaker buys Toyota Corolla after selling excavator in his care Police arrest excavator caretaker and scrap dealer Excavator caretaker pleads guilty to charges of stealing A 29-year-old excavator caretaker, Patrick Amoah has been handed a six-year jail term for stealing excavator parts and selling same at Akyem-Apinamang in the Eastern Region. He pleaded guilty to charges pressed against him and was convicted on his own plea. Meanwhile two others who were charged as his accomplices were discharged by the Asamkese District Court after they pleaded not guilty during trial. The prosecutor in the case, Chief Inspector Susan Ayaric told the court that the complainant in the case is a Nigerian businessman resident at Boadua, while the convict is a caretaker of the excavator at Apinamang. His accomplice is also a scrap dealer resident in Accra. The complainant sometime in January 2020 travelled to his home nation to raise funds for the repair of the excavator which had become faulty. According to the prosecution, the convict sold parts of the Hyundai excavator to scrap dealers at a fee of GHC82,000 which the buyer made a part payment of 64,000. Patrick Amoah, upon receiving the part payment bought a Toyota Corolla with registration number GR 980 – 12. Upon his return from Nigeria, the complainant reported the matter at the Akwatia Police Station on March 9, 2020. The police then proceeded to arrest the convict and his accomplice in Accra. The Toyota Corolla was also impounded by the police as part of investigations. Patrick was subsequently charged with stealing and conspiracy to commit crime, to wit, stealing.