Kumasi, Aug 9, GNA - A 19-year-old common carrier who broke into a kiosk and stole a number of items and cash one million cedis, was last Thursday jailed three years in hard labour by a circuit court in Kumasi. Lukman Zakari pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing.

Police Chief Inspector Eveyln Addo told the court that at about 0600 hours on July 6, this year, Ayamba Bawa, a mechanic's apprentice and the complainant, who lived in a kiosk at Akwatia-line in Kumasi locked his kiosk and left for work at the Suame Magazine.

She said at about 1500 hours the same day, Zakari broke into the kiosk through the back door and stole a 14-inch television set, a video deck and one million cedis cash.

Chief Inspector Addo said, however, that one Alhaji Ali who was going to urinate behind the kiosk saw the accused coming out of the kiosk and informed one Alhaji Ibrahim Mohammed who together raised the alarm.

She said Zakari took to his heels leaving the items behind but was given a hot chase and arrested and detained by the people till the complainant returned from work.

The prosecution said when the complainant was informed about the incident, he went to the kiosk to check on his things and realised that they were those that were removed by the accused.

Chief Inspector Addo said Zakari was therefore sent to the Zongo police together with the items and that during interrogation, he admitted the offence and the items were handed back to the complainant but the money could not be recovered.