A 42 year-old trader, Afusatu Gyiwa, on Tuesday appeared before an Accra Circuit Tribunal, for stealing 27,500 dollars and jewels valued at 3,000 dollars belonging to a friend.

Gyiwa, who pleaded not guilty to stealing, was granted 100 million cedis bail with two sureties to be justified and to re-appear on October 18.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Kofi Adu told the tribunal chaired by Mr. Imoru Ziblim that last March Gyiwa informed the complainant, Ms Afusatu Brimah, also a trader about her pilgrimage to Mecca.

The prosecutor said Ms Brimah, who sells cosmetics, gave Gyiwa 15,000 dollars to buy her cosmetics. She also gave her damaged jewels to repair for her. The jewels were valued at 3,000 dollars.

On March 16 this year Gyiwa, who was among the first batch of Hajj pilgrims, left for Mecca but a few days later she rang Ms Brimah's sister, Asana, and told her she had bought the goods but had run out of money.

Chief Inspector Adu said Gyiwa told Asana that she had found some Avon perfumes in Saudi Arabia and needed additional money to buy them.

Ms Brimah sent Gyiwa 12,000 dollars through one Salma Immakankani, who was among the second group to travel to Mecca.

He said when Gyiwa arrived back in Accra she told Ms Brimah that the money and the jewels had been stolen under some strange circumstances.

Ms Brimah did not believe it and lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Police.

The prosecutor said during interrogation Gyiwa admitted being given 27,500 dollars and jewels valued 3,000 dollars by the complainant and kept the money in her waist bag.

Accused said at Mina, Saudi Arabia, she suddenly developed stomach pains and visited the toilet. She removed the waist bag and hanged it on a pipe in the toilet.She said the bag fell but she could not find it and she did not report the matter to the Saudi Police.