A sales manager of an auto spare parts shop in Kumasi, alongside five other persons, arrested over the theft of items costing about GH?774,265.00, were on Thursday arraigned.

Kojo Asare Bediako, (the sales manager) and Abu Paada, a shop assistant, have been charged with stealing, while Kwame Boateng, Anthony Addai, Josephine Archer and Gladys Addai are facing the charge of dishonestly receiving and they all pleaded not guilty.

A Kumasi Circuit Court, presided over by Mrs. Mary Nsenkyire, granted GH?800,000.00 bail, with three sureties each, to Bediako and Paada.

The four other accused persons were also each admitted to GH?200,000.00 with two sureties.

They were ordered to make their next appearance on Tuesday, February 21.

Police Chief Inspector Felix Akowuah told the court that Bediako and Paada had been employed by the Europe Auto Land Limited at the Suame Magazine.

For some time now the company had been detecting shortages of the car parts in its warehouse.

On March 22, last year, at about midnight, a police patrol team was tipped off that Paada had loaded large quantity of heavy duty vehicle spare parts – boxes of centre bolts, double axel and back springs, into a truck and moved in to arrest him before he could carry these away.

He told police investigators that the Bediako gave him the keys to the warehouse to steal the items, sell and share the proceeds.

Investigations led to the arrest of the other accused persons and after stock taking by owners of the company it was realized that GH?774,265.00 worth of vehicle spare parts had been stolen.

Bediako admitted the offence and said he had used part of share of the sale of the stolen items to build a house at Feyiase.