Cape Coast, July 11, GNA - A taxi-driver, who failed to render his daily accounts for three months and abandoned the vehicle at a fitting shop after removing some parts of the engine and some accessories, was on Friday sentenced to three years imprisonment in hard labour, by a Cape Coast Circuit Court.

Kofi Dadzie, 22, who had pleaded guilty to stealing, also lied about his age to the court presided over by Mr Mustapha Logoh, saying, he was 20 years old.

Chief Inspector Augustine Amonoo told the Court that the complainant, one Ms. Priscilla Minnah, engaged Dadzie to drive her taxicab in March this year.

He said the agreement was that Dadzie should make a daily account of 50,000 cedis to a caretaker, one Auntie Emelia. Chief Inspector Amonoo said after working for just two days, neither the accused nor the car, were seen again until May, when the caretaker saw him driving the taxi and summoned him before Ms Minnah and some GPRTU officials.

He said at the meeting, the officials asked him to refund an amount of 2,050,000.00 cedis, representing the daily accounts for the period to the car owner and to continue working with the car, but he abandoned it at a fitting shop to drive another taxi.

When the caretaker found out and questioned the driver, he claimed the vehicle had developed a mechanical fault at the fitting shop. Ms Minnah and the caretaker went to the shop, but after inspection it was realised that the tape recorder, two speakers and some parts of the engine had been removed.

A report was made to the Police and Dadzie was arrested.