The convict, Comfort Asante, who pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing and forgery, claimed she took the money to help settle a debt owed by her mother.

After a full trial, the court, presided over by Mrs. Hathia Ama Manu, found her guilty on both counts and convicted her, stressing the need to deter others from similar offences.

The prosecutor, Chief Superintendent of Police Alex Odonkor, told the court that the complainant was NTHC Trustee, a company registered under the laws of Ghana to manage pension schemes.

He explained that the convict’s responsibilities included daily fieldwork to educate the public, register clients, and collect contributions on behalf of the company for the Tier Three Pension Scheme, also known as the SSNIT Informal Scheme Product (SISP).

Asante was also tasked with accurately recording contributions electronically into the company’s system using an official mobile phone issued to her, while also updating customers’ passbooks.

The system automatically generated receipt numbers, and text message alerts were sent to clients to confirm their payments.

Chief Superintendent Odonkor said that between 2 and 5 May 2023, the company received complaints from some contributors who had not been receiving alerts for payments made through Asante.

Upon reviewing the passbooks of the affected contributors, the company discovered discrepancies between the figures recorded in the books and those entered into the company’s system.

It was also detected that receipt numbers recorded in customers’ passbooks by Asante had not been generated by the company’s electronic system.

On 17 May 2023, the company lodged a complaint with the police, leading to Asante’s arrest. During investigations, she admitted the offence in her caution statement.

An internal audit carried out by the company’s auditors revealed that Asante had dishonestly appropriated a total of GH¢96,490, representing contributions made by 32 customers through her.

Source: GNA

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This is for damaging and stealing electrical cables worth GH¢137,046 belonging to his employer.

Samuel Agyiri, 28, a pump mechanic, pleaded guilty to causing unlawful damage and stealing.

The prosecution, led by Police Detective Chief Inspector Adams Mumuni, told the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu, that the complainant, Aziz Yakubu, is a security officer of Samatex Timber and Plywood Company Limited.

He said the complainant resided in Samreboi No. 2 quarters, while Agyiri lived close to the Samreboi Gyantima road, both in the Wassa Amenfi West Municipality.

Detective Chief Inspector Mumuni, on March 11, 2025, at about 0900 hours, Peter Adakabilla, the manager in charge of the company’s powerhouse, saw Agyiri roaming around the place within the powerhouse called ‘bars,’ where electrical cables were connected to the facility.

The Prosecution said that when the manager asked Agyiri about his mission there, he said he was not doing anything, so he was reassigned to go and work at the hogging yard.

On the same day at about 1430 hours, the manager saw Agyiri again loitering around the powerhouse and warned him to leave the premises and go home as he had already closed for the day.

He said about 15:15 hours, while the manager was at the hogging yard working, he saw Agyiri pushing a wheelbarrow towards the factory fence near the moulding mill and suspected he had stolen something he ordered him to stop.

Detective Chief Inspector Mumuni said, knowing that he would be arrested, Agyiri abandoned the wheelbarrow, picked an item and wrapped it with a polythene bag and made a swift exit.

The manager quickly contacted the complainant on the phone, and he pursued Agyiri using a motorbike and managed to arrest him.

Prosecution said the convict then confessed to the complainant that he had stolen some cables and led him to a nearby bush where they were retrieved.

Agyiri was handed over to the Samreboi police, where he admitted the offence in his caution statement and claimed financial difficulties compelled him to steal.

During the ruling, the judge directed the police to hand over the items they had retrieved to the company.

Source: GNA 

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Essien, an illegal miner, who was also charged with causing unlawful damage, pleaded guilty with an explanation to both counts.

Prosecuting Chief Superintendent Alex Odonkor narrated to the court, presided over by Mrs. Hathia Ama Manu, that the complainant, Madam Agnes Boadi, a 47-year-old farmer, was the biological mother of Essien.

The complainant and Essien resided in the same house at Wassa Essikuma.

The court heard that about two years ago, Essien returned from prison and realized that the complainant was in a relationship with a certain man. Essien was unhappy about it and warned her to end the relationship.

Chief Superintendent Odonkor said the complainant refused to discontinue the relationship, and since then, Essien threatened to kill her.

The prosecution said that two weeks ago, Essien continued his usual attacks on the complainant, and for fear of losing her life, she left the house and spent the night with her boyfriend, who lived in the same town.

The next day, Essien followed the complainant to the boyfriend’s house and ordered her to return home, but she refused.

The prosecutor said the convict, who became upset, returned home, picked a cutlass, and used it to damage the key in the complainant’s door.

Chief Superintendent Odonkor said Essien, not satisfied with his actions, went for a pickaxe and used it to create holes in the walls of the building. The total value of the items damaged was GH¢2,570.00.

He said the complainant reported the case at the Wassa Aboso police station, where Essien was arrested to assist with investigations.

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In addition, the convict has been fined GH₵2,400 or in default will serve a two-month jail term. Andoh pleaded guilty and was convicted on his own plea.

In sentencing, the court, presided over by Hathia Ama Manu, said it had taken into consideration, the fact that he was a first-time offender but needed to be punished to serve as a deterrent to other drivers, who often, take things for granted and threaten the safety and security of other road users by their careless driving.

Case

Presenting the case before the court, Prosecutor, Superintendent of Police, Juliana Essel-Dadzie, said the complainant, Samuel Benful, a native of Kumasi Oboho, is a driver, while Andoh i a resident of Aseke, Takoradi.

On April 2, 2024, at about 9:45 p.m., the accused, now convict, was driving a truck with registration number WR 1039-17 from Takoradi to Tarkwa, and the complainant was driving a KIA Rhino with registration number GE 3628-16, loaded with marble stones from Tarkwa to Cape Coast.

She said on reaching a section of the road at the Dompim Police Snap checkpoint,  the officers on duty stopped the complainant, and while inspecting his documents, Andoh emerged from the opposite direction at top speed.

Supt. Essel-Dadzie said Andoh was signalled to stop, but he failed to do so and first hit the police barricade before colliding with the complainant’s vehicle, causing damage to the nearside headlight, and windscreen before the truck then veered off the road into the bush.

Andoh was later arrested and he admitted to the offence in his caution statement. At the police station, he provided valid documents covering the accident vehicle for inspection after which he was granted police enquiry bail.

The prosecutor said the police revisited the accident scene and conducted their investigations in the presence of the complainant, convict and a witness.

Supt. Essel-Dadzie stated further that on April 5, 2024, a vehicle examiner from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) at Tarkwa office examined and tested both vehicles and submitted his report to the police.

She said after the investigations, Andoh was formally arrested and charged with the offences and processed for court.

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Kingsley Acquah, 24 years old, pleaded not guilty to the charge, but at the end of the trial he was found culpable of the offence.

Prosecuting, Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, told the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu, that the complainant is a seamstress and mother to the victim.

She said Acquah used to teach the victim in a private school located in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, where he together with the victim and the parents lived.

The prosecution said in September 2022, while the victim was in her final year in Junior High school, her school decided that all final year students should lodged in the school to enable them to prepare ahead of the Basic Education Certificate Examination.

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said Acquah took advantage, lured the victim into his room and had sexual intercourse with her.

The prosecutor said the accused repeated the act and on one occasion the victim started bleeding and he (Acquah) asked her to leave his room.

The prosecution said after the victim had completed school and was home, she began to fall sick but never noticed she was pregnant.

She said during in February 2023, the victim had admission in a Senior High School and while on campus her senior house mistress detected that she was pregnant and sent her home.

The victim then narrated what had transpired between her and Acquah to the complainant, and she reported the matter to the police where a medical report form was issued to send the victim to the hospital for examination and report.

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Vincent Fisher, a resident of Kasoa, in the Central Region denied the offence when he appeared before the presiding judge, Mrs Hathia Ama Manu.

After the trial, Fisher was found guilty and punished accordingly to serve as a deterrent to other drivers.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector, Joseph Lartey said Amobi Chukwu, the complainant is a driver and a resident of Lagos, a town in Nigeria.

He said about two months ago, the complainant gave his Toyota Sienna vehicle with registration number AGL 152 GN to Fisher at Lagos for transport business.

Fisher started driving between Lagos and Accra, but after a month he told Chukwu that he wanted to marry in Ghana, and therefore pleaded to use the car for weeks.

Chief Inspector Lartey said the complainant agreed and on August 5, 2023, Fisher brought the vehicle to Ghana but after completing his programme, he failed to resume work though Chukwu contacted him on phone many times.

He said Chukwu, who realised all was not well, decided to check the tracking device he installed on the vehicle from August 21, 2023, realized the vehicle was in Manso Amenfi in the Western Region, but the convict insisted it was in Accra.

Based on the information, Chukwu came to Ghana to look for his vehicle and on August 23, 2023, he made a report at the Regional Police Command where police officers were detailed to assist him.

He said with the aid of the tracking device, the police found the vehicle parked near a house at Manso Amenfi with registration number AP 525-22, insurance, road worthy certificates and a “for sale” sticker affix on the windscreen with two mobile phone numbers.

The court heard that Fisher was picked up and the vehicle retrieved and sent to the Regional Police Headquarters for interrogations.

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The bail was granted in connection with allegations of dishonestly appropriating funds from a customer’s account at the bank.

Edmond Nashiru entered a plea of not guilty.

The prosecution, led by Police Chief Inspector Joseph Lartey, requested an extension on the case to allow for the filing of necessary disclosures.

The court, presided over by Mrs. Hathia Ama Manu, granted the extension, providing the police with a two-week period to fulfill the requirement.

The case is scheduled to resume on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.

Chief Inspector Lartey detailed the background of the case, stating that the complainant, Felicity Acquah, worked as a rotational nurse residing in New Atuabo within the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality.

Felicity held a savings account at Access Bank’s Tarkwa branch, where Edmond served as a front desk officer.

On November 6, 2023, Felicity reported to the Tarkwa Police that she had received multiple mobile alerts indicating unauthorized debits totaling GH￠9,781.00 from her account.

When Felicity sought clarification from Edmond at the banking hall, he claimed that fraudsters had stolen her money, and she left.

The police, in their investigation, obtained a court order on November 16, 2023, compelling the bank’s management to provide detailed information on the transactions.

The audit department’s subsequent report implicated Edmond in the theft, revealing that he used his cell phone to transfer the stolen funds to two different MTN numbers.

Edmond was arrested, and during the investigation, he confessed to assisting Felicity in installing a banking application on her mobile phone, obtaining her login credentials in the process.

In an attempt to cover up the crime, Edmond enlisted the help of his brother, who is currently at large, to acquire two Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards.

These SIM cards were used to deposit the stolen money, after which they were discarded to avoid detection by authorities.

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Desmond Kwofie, 24, was said to have committed the offence when his wife was pregnant and pleaded not guilty to the charge of defilement.

At the end of the full trial Kwofie was found guilty by the court presided over by Hathia Ama Manu and was sentenced accordingly.

Before passing judgement, Mrs Manu asked Kwofie, if he had anything to tell the court, he said: “My lady please temper justice with mercy. I have two children, one is three years old and the other is only four months old, it will be difficult to take care of them while I am away”.

The judge, however, told Kwofie that she would not set him free but instead apply the law to serve as a deterrent to the public.

The complainant, who is 50 years old, the victim’s father and the convict all reside in Tamso-Senyakrom, in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, according to prosecutor Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie.

The prosecutor said on December 2, 2022, the victim suddenly left the house without informing anyone.

She said the complainant, together with the victim’s siblings scouted for her in the neighbourhood for hours but she was nowhere to be found.

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said on December 3, 2022, the victim was found and when the complainant questioned her, she revealed that Kwofie spotted her at Tamso months ago and proposed love to her and she accepted.

The prosecution said they became friends, and because of their relations, the victim visited the convict often in his house.

She said on December 2, 2022, the victim paid her usual visit and Kwofie lured her to Adjeimess guest house in Tarkwa and had sexual intercourse with her. 

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said after the convict had satisfied his sexual desire, he held the victim hostage in the room, had several sessions of sex with her and released her the next day. and she went home.

On December 3, 2022, the complainant took the victim to the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) office in Tarkwa and reported the case, where a police medical form was issued to him to send the victim to the hospital.

She said the complainant returned the form duly endorsed by a medical officer at Apinto Government Hospital.

The prosecution said Kwofie was later arrested by the police to assist investigations, and he admitted the offence in his caution statement given in the presence of an independent witness.

Timothy Amponsah, the accused person, who was charged with conspiracy and robbery, pleaded guilty with an explanation.

He said, “My judge I am jobless, and my four children were out of school, this made me commit the crime. I am pleading to the court to temper justice with mercy”.

The court presided over by Hathie Arna Manu after listening to Amponsah’s explanation entered a plea of guilty for him and deferred his sentence to Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

Police Chief Inspector Joseph Lartey, the prosecutor, told the court that, Sampson Arhin, 28, a taxi driver, who lives at Ankobra in the Prestea Hum-Valley Munic1pal1ty was the complainant

He said the accused person and his wife, Sheilla Omano, who is currently on the run, are residents of Asebu- Ankroma in the Central Region.

On March 5, 2023, around 1800 hours, the couple agreed to travel to Prestea and rob a taxi from any driver they chanced upon.

According to the prosecutor, the same day at about 2130 hours, the accused and the wife who arrived at Prestea to carry out the operation, spotted the complainant in his taxicab with registration number AS 9230-22 and signalled him to stop.

The two then hired the services of the complainant from Prestea to Dumasi to visit a friend but on arrival around 2230 hours, Omano made a phone call and later told Arhin that the person they came to visit had left for Bogoso so they should proceed to the said place.

Chief Inspector Lartey said in the course of the journey, Omano sat on the front passenger’s seat, while the accused who sat directly behind the driver attacked him around a rubber plantation and smeared powered pepper on his face.

He said the complainant lost control of the vehicle and the engine went off and the accused pushed him out of the vehicle and drove to an unknown destination.

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On March 6, 2023, the complainant reported the incident to the police in Bogoso and was given a medical form to attend the hospital, where he was treated and discharged.

He said on March 11, this year, police upon further investigation, arrested Amponsah at Asebu Ankromah with the vehicle which had a different registration number AS 2716-19.

The prosecutor said during a search in the accused person’s room, the complainant’s original number plate was found.

Two Ghanaians, Stephen Arthur and Prince Dennis Aidoo were also convicted on the same charges.

The court found each of them liable to pay a fine or in default serve prison terms ranging from 10 to 15 years.

The case was conducted by Adelaide Kobiri-Woode (Mrs) and assisted by Maara Pelpuo, Ewura-Abena Tweneboa Attafuah and Emmanuella Sarah Asmah, all Assistant State Attorneys, at the Takoradi Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice.

Conviction and sentence

The Circuit Court on November 5, 2021, convicted and found the two Chinese nationals liable to pay a fine of 120,000 penalty units (GHC1,440.000.00) each or in default serve 15 years each in prison.

The two Ghanaians were also fined 100,000 and 120,000 penalty units (GHC1,200,000.00 and GHC1,440,000.00) respectively, or in default, serve prison terms of 10 years and 15 years respectively.

Additionally, the court issued an order to; 1. Confiscate the 11kg Gold which is a proceed of the crime to the State and deposit same with the Ministry of Mines and Natural Resources with immediate effect;

2. Confiscate the three (3) laptops, chargers, rifles as well as the ammunitions found to the State:

3. Confiscate an amount of GHC 788,736.00 to the State and make payment of 30% to the Office to the Judicial Service, 15% of the Attorney General and 10% to the National Security.

The amount outstanding is to be paid into the Consolidated Fund and evidence of same must be forwarded to the court by November 17, 2021.

4. The court also gave Chen Hung a month to regularise her permit to stay in Ghana as it had expired or face immigration proceedings.

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The court has subsequently directed the Attorney-General and Precious Minerals Marketing Company to ensure that the Orders are carried out.

Charges

Chen Hung. Chen Zhili and Stephen Arthur were found to be dealing in gold without licenses while Prince Denis Aidoo’s license had expired.