Commercial rider jailed for unlawful entry, stealing

Baba Suleman alias Tornado, a 28-year-old commercial rider, has been sentenced to eight years imprisonment in hard labour for unlawful entry and stealing.

Suleman pleaded guilty and was convicted on his own plea by the Jasikan Circuit Court presided over by Alfred Kwabena Asiedu.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Vincent Kpodo, Prosecutor, told the Court that the complainant was a manager of a guest house and fuel filling station, and the convict, was a commercial Okada rider.

He said there had been a series of complaints of theft of mobile phones, television sets, and laptops within Worawora and its environs.

ASP Kpodo said all efforts made by the people living in the vicinity and the Police to arrest the perpetrators had proved futile.

He noted that on July 4, this year, at about 2100 hours, the convict was in charge of his Sanya motorbike with registration number M- 1241- 17 with his friend one Awaki Ransford, a student of Worawora Senior High School as his pillion rider.

ASP Kpodo said Awaki, also a witness in the case, together with the convict went to the complainant’s fuel station to buy fuel for their motorbike.

He said after they bought the fuel, it started raining and the convict told the witness to climb the staircase to the guest house in order not to get wet and the witness obliged.

ASP Kpodo said after few moments, Awaki saw the convict with an electric iron and 32-inch Nasco smart television and its remote valued GH¢1,350.

He said the convict disclosed to the witness he took the items from one of the hotel rooms after enquiring.

ASP Kpodo said the witness who was scared, then, ordered the convict to return the items to where he took them as that was not their motive of coming to the filling station.

He said the convict instructed the witness to take his motor key and ride the motor to the entrance of the filling station in order to run away with the items.

ASP Kpodo said the witness got scared but took the key from convict and rode the motorbike away leaving the convict behind.

He said all this while the fuel attendant and the manager were inside their office because of the rain.

ASP Kpodo said the convict kept waiting for his friend but all in vain.

He said the convict together with the TV set and pressing iron proceeded to the Apesokubi township to search for the witness.

ASP Kpodo said the convict on his way, met one Emmanuel Ansah also a witness and upon interrogation, convict could not give any tangible explanation to where he got the items from.

He said the convict was arrested together with the TV set covered in a pink lady’s dress and the pressing iron to the Apesokubi Police station and an official complaint lodged.

ASP Kpodo said on July 5, witness Ansah had an information that the said items belong to one Gyamfi Prosper, the C.E.O of the Oti Guest House and Desert filling station at Apesokubi, where the complainant was the manager.

He said on the same day, witness Awaki was arrested together with the said Sanya motorbike and in his witness statement to Police, disclosed that he only escorted the convict to purchase fuel but not to steal the said items.

ASP Kpodo said the convict in his investigation cautioned statement admitted the offences and stated that he stole the items from one of the hotel rooms.

He said the items were displayed and the complainant again identified the same as hers.