Tema, July 10, GNA - A 21 year old ex-convict, Azumah Issah, described by the police as a notorious criminal has been sentenced to a four-year jail term for stealing by the Tema Magistrates court. Azumah Issah, who pleaded guilty on two counts of stealing, was released from prison last month.

Chief Inspector Matilda Tetteh, told the court presided over by Nana Agyeman Badu that during the night of June 15, 2004, the complainant was asleep on a veranda near the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), at the Tema Central Market.

She said at about 3 AM, he felt that somebody was removing his Nokia 3310 mobile phone from his wrist belt and he quickly held the hand of the accused.

Chief Inspector Tetteh said the complainant shouted for help and the policeman on guard duty at the GCB went to his aid and with the help of others arrested Azumah.

She told the court that when he was searched female items including a Kente clothe, cover cloth and a skirt were found in a black polythene bag he was carrying, which he admitted stealing from a house.