Crime & Punishment of Friday, 25 June 2004

Source: GNA

Farmer jailed for stealing

Tuobodom (B/A), June 25, GNA- A Magistrate's court at Tuobodom near Techiman in Brong Ahafo has sentenced a 36-year-old farmer to six months' imprisonment in hard labour for forgery. Yaw Opoku, who pleaded guilty, was found to have forged Volta River Authority/Northern Electricity Department (VRA/NED) electricity bills amounting to 115,000 cedis.
Police Inspector Comfort Nyamesah told the court that on June 14, this year, Opoku went to the customer service office of the VRA/NED to check his electricity bills. When the bills were carefully examined it was detected that a receipt dated December 20, last year, with a face value of 115,000 cedis was among other bills allegedly forged by the accused. The prosecutor said Opoku explained that his late father paid and obtained the receipt. Inspector Nyamesah said when the receipt was re-checked and found to be forged, Opoku admitted the offence.