Crime & Punishment of Sunday, 3 December 2023

Source: GNA

Driver in court for allegedly misappropriating GH₵191,000

File photo File photo

Francis Yeboah, a 54-year-old driver, has appeared before Accra Circuit Court for allegedly misappropriating GH₵191,000 belonging to a retired health professional.

Charged with stealing, Yeboah pleaded not guilty.

The court presided over by Mr Kwabena Kodua Obiri has admitted Yeboah to bail in the sum of GH₵200,000 with two sureties.

The court adjourned the matter to December 7, 2023, and ordered the prosecution to file disclosures and same on the accused person and his lawyer.

Earlier, Yeboah’s lawyer prayed for the court to admit Yeboah to bail because he was married with kids, and he would not abscond. According to the defence counsel, the family was trying to settle the matter.

Chief Inspector Olivia Ofori-Attah, who held brief did not oppose bail, but urged the court to admit the accused person to bail with conditions that would compel Yeboah to attend court till the end of the trial.

The prosecution said the complainant Betty Yeboah, was a resident of Kotobabi, Spintex. The prosecutor said about 19 years ago, Yeboah went to the complainant
and pleaded with her to accommodate him and his family, who had been ejected from their residence because he was unable to pay for an apartment.

It said the complainant gave out her two-bedroom self-contained apartment to the accused and his family for free. The prosecutor said the complainant travelled to the United Kingdom and left her uncompleted three bedroom in the hand of the accused person.

The prosecution said the complainant sent the accused person, GHC47,000 and 9,000 pounds sterling, all totaling GHC144,000 to continue building her three bedroom room house.

The prosecutor said the accused person, after collecting the money, failed to continue with the building.

It said the complainant called the accused person’s wife and informed her that she would be returning to Ghana this year. The prosecution said the accused on hearing that the complainant would be returning to Ghana, he left the house and went into hiding.

A report was made to the Police at Batsonaa Divisional CID and the accused person was arrested. The prosecutor said the accused person admitted the offence in his caution statement in the presence of an independent witness.