Regional News of Thursday, 18 March 2004

Source: GNA

Man sentenced for possessing fake currency

Nsawam (E/R), March 18, GNA- Kwame Addo, a 45-year-old driver was on Wednesday jailed nine months by Nsawam Magistrate's court for possessing fake 5,000 cedis note.

He pleaded guilty.

Passing sentence, Mrs. Ivy Heward-Mills, presiding over the court, advised Addo to reform while in prison so that he would not resort to easy and unlawful ways of getting money when released. Prosecuting, Detective Inspector Emmanuel Kwaku Akakpo told the court presided over by Mrs. Heward-Mills that Addo on March 11, this year, approached a head teacher at Amoakrom near Nsawam with some fake currency note.

The prosecution said Addo told the head teacher that there were more samples at Agona Swedru and that one Master Abotare now at large, sent him with the fake money to show it to him (the head teacher) so that the note could be circulated.

The prosecution said the complainant after collecting the fake currency arrested the accused person and sent him to the Nsawam Police Station.

Nsawam Police arrest gang leader

Nsawam, March 18, GNA- Amadu Yakubu, 45, who the police described as a hardened criminal and a leader of drug pushers operating at Nsawam was arrested on Wednesday at Nsawam near the banks of the Densu River. Superintendent Otchere Boapea, Police Commander in-charge of Nsawam District told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that Yakubu and his gang snatched bags, monies, wrist-watches, mobile phones and other personal belongings from pedestrians and travellers.

He said the gang normally operates on market days, Mondays and Thursdays, after which they go back to their hideouts near the Densu River.

Supt Boapea said upon a tip-off the police swooped the area and were able to arrest Yakubu.

Some of the items retrieved from their hideout included indian hemp, cocaine, cutlasses, jack-knives and long knives which they use on their operations.

Meanwhile, Supt. Boapea said the rest of the gangsters are on the run and the police have mounted a search for them.