Agona Swedru, Mar 3, GNA - The Agona Swedru Magistrate Court presided over by Mr Fatawo Yakubu has jailed a staff of Natoa Company Limited two years imprisonment in hard labour for stealing 10 million cedis belonging to the company.

Isaac Acquah 23, would serve an additional six months if he failed to pay the amount he had spent from the money before his arrest. Police Inspector Comfort Darko told the court that the accused was a staff of the Swedru branch of Natoa Company Limited, a distributor of the Accra Brewery.

She said on 26 February, 2004, at about 6.30 PM a sales girl of the company went to pay 17.183 million cedis to the accountant of the company but met him absent.

According to the prosecution, Acquah received the money on behalf of the Accountant but took 10.460 million cedis out of the 17.183 million and absconded.

Later in the evening at about 8 PM, Mr Kyei Aboagye, Manager of the Swedru branch of the company saw a black polythene bag containing money in front of the office "safe".

Inspector Darko said the Manager picked the bag and saw the hand writing of the sales girl who had written 17.183 million cedis but when he checked the money in the bag was not up to the amount. The Manager phoned the sales girl who confirmed the amount received by the accused but Acquah could not be traced and a report was made to the Police.

On 29 February, Mr Aboagye received a phone call from Aflao, which cut abruptly but he picked the number from his mobile phone and called back.

According to the Prosecutor, the Communication Centre attendant who picked the call confirmed that the accused made the call and the Manger asked the attendant to arrest Acquah since he was a thief. With the help of the Aflao Police, the accused was arrested and sent to Agona Swedru to face the charges.

At the time of his arrest an amount of 8 million cedi and 5,500 CFA was retrieved from him.