Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 11 April 2017

Source: ghananewsagency.com

Court discharges former Engineer of Vodafone

They pleaded not guilty to the charges but were convicted after trial They pleaded not guilty to the charges but were convicted after trial

Mr Alex Duker, a Former Senior Customer Engineer of Vodafone has been discharged after serving two years out a six-year jail term.

Mr Duker together with five Engineers were on Monday, May 18, 2015 sentenced to six years’ imprisonment each by an Accra Circuit Court presided over by Francis Obiri, charged with conspiracy to commit crime and stealing.

Justice Constance Hometowu, the Appellate Judge sitting at the High Court at Nsawam Medium Security Prisons dismissed the first ground of the appeal against his conviction but upheld the second ground of mitigation of sentence.

The judge indicated that the convict being a first time offender deserves mercy.

The court invoking Article 296 of the Constitution held that the two years served out of the six years in hard labour imposed on the convict should be sufficient punishment.

The court also took into consideration the fact that the convict showed remorse and has been of good behaviour whilst in prison.

Mr Duker, who shed tears of joy, was grateful to the almighty God, his family and the team of lawyers, who supported him.

Others who were convicted with him are Frank Lemdi Prikutse, Emmanuel Achiatao, Robert Appiah-Mends, and Samuel Mensah.

They pleaded not guilty to the charges but were convicted after trial.

They are to serve six years each for conspiracy to commit crime and six years each for stealing 1280 meters of 1000mm/ff cables worth GH¢268,800.00 belonging to Vodafone Ghana.

The sentences are to run concurrently.