Asamankese, June 9, GNA - Kwame Ametepe, farmer, 26, who allegedly stole a Toyota mini bus valued at 53 million cedis at Akroso in the Eastern Region and sold it without the engine was on Tuesday remanded by the Asamankese Circuit Court. The accused, whose plea was not taken, is to re-appear on June 16.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector James Bassaw, told the court that Mr Kwasi Akyeampong, driver of the mini bus with registration number GW 9439 R, parked the vehicle at 21 hours on December 12, last year, but it was discovered to have disappeared the next morning. He said a report was made to the Police at Akroso who sent a message to Police stations across the country.

Chief Inspector Bassaw, said on May 12, this year, two young men from Dzodze Dzapa, in the Volta Region, who were looking for the owner of the vehicle with two photographs called at the Asamankese branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to collect the papers covering it. According to them, the owner had sold it to them for five million cedis and had given them a temporary receipt. Chief Inspector Bassaw said the GPRTU Officials led them to the Asamankese Police Station from where they were taken to the Akroso Police.

Police investigations, he said, revealed that the accused had smashed the vehicle in an accident in the Volta Region, removed the engine and sold the body of the vehicle. He said Ametepe was arrested at Tadzewu near Dzodze, following a tip-off at a time he had in his possession another stolen vehicle, a Mercedes Benz 207. Chief Inspector Bassaw said the engine of the Toyota mini bus was yet to be retrieved.