Kade, July 10, GNA - Matildah Ampofoa, unemployed, popularly known as 'man woman' who is serving a one-year jail term for escaping from lawful custody was on Friday jailed 18 months by the Kade District Magistrate Court on a charge of conspiracy to steal. She had pleaded guilty to conspiracy with an accomplice to steal, but not guilty to stealing a cash of GHC 500 and a Nokia mobile phone valued at GHC 70.

The Magistrate, Mr. Kwaku Frempong, ordered her to refund the money after serving her sentences.

The Prosecutor, Police Inspector Francis Cobbina, had told the court that on June 3, the complainant, Grace Abletor, went to a corn mill to collect sacks from the operator at about 0830 hours. He said at the mill, the complainant met Matildah sitting on a bench, whilst Kwasi Punisher, now at large, who was jointly charged with the convict, was bargaining over a mobile phone with the operator. The prosecutor said the complainant later placed a black polythene bag containing the money and the mobile phone on the same bench on which the convict was sitting.

He said as the complainant entered one of the stores to collect the sacks, Matildah quickly took the polythene bag and its contents and left, followed by Punisher who was standing close by. When the complainant realized that the polythene bag had been stolen and Matildah had escaped, she reported the case to the police but all efforts to trace her proved futile. On the same day at about 1630 hours, Matildah was arrested in respect of a different case and handed over to the police, and when she was searched, a Nokia mobile phone with the complainant's name 'Grace' inscribed on the screen was found on her. The complainant was invited to the police station and she identified the phone as hers and the very one which got stolen with her money. 10 July 09