Asamankese, Nov 16, GNA - Awudu Seidu, a driver's mate, who stole car accessories from a parked car, has been sentenced to four years' imprisonment in hard labour by an Asamankese Circuit Court. He pleaded guilty.

Police Inspector Eric Otchere told the court that a Tico taxi cab belonging to Mr Michael Peprah, developed a fault on the night of October 27 and was parked by the roadside.

The next morning, Mr Peprah discovered that the door of the car had been forced open and a radio-cassette recorder, seven cassettes and a box holding them plus a decorative lamp stolen. Later, the driver was tipped off that Seidu was the culprit and therefore went to his room and discovered the stolen items.

The prosecutor said Seidu told the police that the items were sold to him by one Kofi for 40,000 cedis but he could not identify him. Mr S. S. Appiah, the presiding judge, persuaded Seidu to speak the truth so that he could deal leniently with him, but he still insisted that it was Kofi who sold the items to him.

Sentencing Seidu, Mr Appiah said Seidu could be one of those responsible for the theft of car parts in and around Akwatia in recent weeks.

He said since the items were those ''recently stolen'', it was presumed in law that the accused stole them, unless he could prove his innocence, adding "merely mentioning an imaginary Kofi cannot save you from conviction".