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Crime & Punishment of Friday, 5 January 2024

Source: GNA

Former employee of Pizzaman signs bond for stealing cooking oil

File photo of a court gavel File photo of a court gavel

A 25-year-old former employee of Pizzaman/Chickenman, who stole a gallon of Frytol Cooking Oil valued at GH₵600 belonging to the Pizzaman/Chickenman Company Limited, has been put before an Accra Circuit Court.

Charged with stealing, Kwame Asante pleaded guilty to stealing.

The Court presided over by Mrs Susana Eduful, therefore, ordered the accused person to sign a bond of good behaviour for six months in default and serve three months imprisonment.

The facts as presented by Police Chief Inspector Samuel Ahiabor were that the complainant Mr Chris Nana Boayke is one of the Managers of Pizzaman/Chickenman Company Limited.

The prosecution said recently, the Management of the Company noticed an outrageous reduction of stocked items, including gallons of cooking oil, frozen chicken, and other items, which excessively surpassed production output.

It said given the situation, the Company installed CCTV cameras to monitor the activities of the staff and to curb the occurence.

 The prosecution said on November 14, 2023, at about 0500 hours, the accused person sneaked into the Company’s storeroom and made away with a gallon of Frytol cooking oil valued at GH₵600.

It said the complainant came to work and while watching the footage of the previous day’s activities, he saw the accused person carrying away a gallon of cooking oil without permission.

The prosecution said a complaint was lodged to the Police and the accused person was arrested, but was subsequently released on Police enquiry bail for further investigation.

It said while an investigation was ongoing, the Spintex branch of the Company was broken into by one of the Company’s workers.

The prosecution said, “preliminary investigation conducted in the latter incident reasonably suggested that the accused person committed the crime based on the CCTV footage analysis.”

It said the accused person was invited to report to the Police and assist in the investigation, but he dishonoured the Police invitation and left the jurisdiction.

The prosecution said the Police had a hint that the accused person was on board a bus travelling to Kumasi and he was traced and arrested at KNUST junction near Kumasi on December 20, 2023.