An eighteen year-old auto mechanic on Monday appeared before the Enchi District Magistrate court on charges of stealing.

The accused, Ezekiel Kwarteng allegedly stole goods worth 1, 487, 00 Ghana cedis and an Infinix X4 mobile phone valued 500 Ghana cedis, but pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He was granted bail in the sum of 5,000 Ghana cedis with two sureties and the trial adjourned to June 10.

Prosecuting, Detective Inspector Joseph Kwadwo Agyare told the court that, the complainant Kingsley Eze, is a Nigerian and a spare parts dealer living in Kwahu in the Aowin Municipality with the accused.

He said on April 3, this year, complainant employed the accused as a sales representative in his shop and gave him assorted motorbike spare parts worth 5,540.00 Ghana cedis for sale.

The Prosecution said on May 5, at about 0600 hours, the complainant invited the accused to his house to render accounts on the goods sold so far pending auditing of the entire shop later.

He said the accused upon receiving the information left the shop unannounced and went into hiding compelling the complainant to take stock of the goods in the shop without his presence.

The Prosecution said the complainant then noticed that an amount of 1, 487, 00 Ghana cedis worth of goods were unaccounted for from the total stock of 5,540.00 Ghana cedis left in the accused’s care.

The prosecution said the complainant waited patiently for Kwarteng to report to work so that he could ask him of the inconsistencies but there was no sign of him, so the complainant left his Infinix mobile phone on charge and locked his shop.

He said the following day around 0500 hours, the complainant claimed he saw the accused loitering around his shop and later realized his mobile phone and standing fan had been purloined.

The complainant quickly confronted the accused who then produced the standing fan but denied stealing the mobile phone and the goods worth 1,487.00 Ghana cedis.

Inspector Agyare said a report was made to the police and the accused was arrested and charged.