An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a businessman to 48 months imprisonment for stealing a 2015 Model Toyota Corolla Saloon car valued at GHC127,000.

Hope Elikem Afortukpe, charged with stealing, pleaded guilty. The court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo convicted the accused person on his plea and sentenced him accordingly.

The prosecution led by Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer told the court that the complainant Patience Dukuly was a housewife and resident of Tema Community 25. The prosecution said Afortukpe also resided at Woe in the Volta Region.

Chief Inspector Lawer said the complainant and the accused person, now convict, had been friends since December 2022. The prosecution said in February 2023, Afortukpe lured the complainant to sell her white 2015 model Toyota Corolla car with registration number GR 2819-23 valued at GHC127,000.

The prosecution said Afortukpe took the car from the complainant and sold it to one Dorcas at Kintampo at a cost of GHC90,000. It said the accused person, after selling the car, went into hiding and efforts by the complainant to get back her car or money proved futile.

It said luck eluded Afortukpe when he was nabbed in a fraud case, and he was identified by the complainant. The prosecution said Afortukpe admitted the offence in his caution statement.