Ex-convict jailed for defrauding ECG customer

The Donkorkrom Magistrate Court, presided over by His Worship Augustine Akus-Am, has sentenced Benjamin Amoako, an ex-convict, to six months in prison for impersonating a staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG) to defraud unsuspecting customers of the company.

The accused pleaded guilty to defrauding by false pretence and was sentenced to six months in prison in hard labour while his suspected accomplice, Michael Aledzi, a motorbike operator,  who pleaded not guilty, was remanded in police custody to reappear on March 15, 2022.

Prosecutor, Superintendent Samuel Entsua-Annan, told the court that, on February 14th, 2022, Amoako in the company of Aledzi went to a house at Bruben, near Donkorkrom in the Afram Palins North District, posing as ECG disconnection officer.

The complainant and resident of Brubeng, who was owing the ECG, issued GHC200.00 to Amoako, to offset the amount and to prevent him from disconnecting his power supply.

The accused was to settle the  bill and produce a receipt on a  later date.

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According to the prosecutor, the accused later resurfaced at Bruben with an electricity bill without proper payment receipt. The situation brought about a misunderstanding between the complainant and the accused person and attracted the attention of residents.

The Assembly member of the area consequently called the police to arrest Amoako and his accomplice. 

His accomplice, Aledzi, managed  to escape but was later arrested by the police.

The accused pleaded guilty on the charge of defrauding by false pretence while his accomplice pleaded not guilty. 

The court convicted  the accused into six months in prison in hard labour while his accomplice was remanded to reappear in two weeks time. 

Meanwhile, the Eastern Region Public Relations Officer of the ECG, Emmanuel Halm, has advised the general public to desist from making payments to disconnection officers and meter readers, who visit their house for special exercises, saying, such people are not mandated to collect cash on behalf of the company.