A Tarkwa Circuit Court on Wednesday fined a 48 year-old spiritualist, Ali Mohammed Ali, GH¢480.00 or in default six months imprisonment in hard labour for stealing an unlicensed Honda 4x4 vehicle worth GH¢350,000.00.
The Court ordered Ali, in addition, to sign a bond to be of good behavior for 12 months and in default, serve an additional six months imprisonment in hard labour.
The accused pleaded guilty.
Narrating the facts of the case to the court presided over by Mr. Justice Obeng Asante, Prosecuting Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah, told the court presided over by Mr. Justice Obeng Asante that, the complainant is a small scale miner at Wasa Adiembra whilst the accused lived in Tamale in the Northern region
He said about two weeks ago, the complainant saw Ali on television, advertising that he has solutions to spiritual problems.
Chief Inspector Amponsah said the complainant contacted the accused by his personal mobile phone and the accused promised to visit the complainant in Wasa Adiembra.
He said on April 8, this year, Ali travelled to Adiembra and visited the complainant’s small scale mining site, where he picked some stones from the site and promised to assist the complainant spiritually.
The Prosecutor said Ali gave four pieces of metals to the complainant, claiming that they will later turn into gold.
Chief Inspector Amponsah said at about 2000 hours on April 10, the accused asked the complainant to release his unlicensed Honda 4x4 vehicle to him for some errands within the Wasa Akropong Township.
He said the complainant gave the vehicle to the accused, but he bolted from Wasa Akropong without the consent of the complainant and headed towards Tamale.
Chief Inspector Amponsah said the complainant reported the matter to the Wasa Akropong Police and the accused was arrested in Kumasi and the vehicle retrieved.