Asamankese (E/R), May 21, GNA - A citizen of Niger, Abdulai Iddrisu, is to be deported after serving a month's prison sentence for stealing a walkie-talkie.

Mr S. S. Appiah, Asamankese Circuit Court Judge gave the order after passing sentence, saying, since Abdulai, who had pleaded guilty, was an illegal immigrant it would be unsafe to allow him to be at large.

He explained that "the accused could commit a more serious offence and slip out of the country so the best thing is to deport him to his country after serving the sentence."

Prosecuting Police Inspector Osei Owusu said on April 11, Abdulai, who is a trader at Akwadum went to Gariba Abdulai at Amenase with a walkie-talkie and asked Gariba to assist him to sell it.

Abdulai claimed that he had picked it on the ground at Koforidua and wanted to sell it. Gariba suspecting it to be a stolen item informed the assemblyman in the area, who advised him to tell Abdulai that he was interested in buying it.

On the following day, Gariba took Abdulai to the assemblyman, Huudu Alhassan, who feigned interest and bargained with the accused. Abdulai gave the price as 600,000 cedis and in the course of the negotiations, the assemblyman sent to inform Policemen on patrol in the town, who arrested Abdulai.

Mr Appiah observed that though the owner of the walkie-talkie had not be found, it was clear that it was stolen and asked why the accused did not send it to the Police when he found it.