Tarkwa (Western Region), 26 June, Two out of three persons who allegedly conspired and stole a 70 million-cedi brand new workers' bus, belonging to Teberebe Goldfields Limited (TGL), were on Monday jailed a total of nine years in hard labour by a Tarkwa circuit court for conspiracy and stealing.

The third, James Neequaye, a dealer, had already beenacquitted and discharged for lack of evidence.

The remaining persons were apprehended following a tip-off while they were in the process of changing the body of the bus to that of a cargo vehicle at a welders shop in Ho in the Volta Region.

The court, presided over by Mr. Isaac Lartey-Young, jailed Emmanuel Kweku Mintah, 34, the alleged brain behind the theft, five years. Mintah was a TGL employee, until he was dismissed for his involvement in the theft. An accomplice, Emmanuel Tetteh, 36, also a former TGL employee, received a four-year jail term.

The court found them guilty of conspiracy and TGL. They pleaded not rpt not guilty.

Passing sentence, Mr. Larty-Young said he took a serious view of the offence, stressing that if the accused persons had succeeeded to change the body of the bus, they would have deprived the mining company of the services of one of its valuable assets.

Mr. Latey-Young expressed the hope that the sentences will serve as deterrent to car-stealing syndicates which have become prevalent in the country.

Police chief Inspector James Nkansah, prosecuting, said securitymen on duty at TGL around midnight on December seven last year, spotted the bus being driven at a top speed in the mines but it was later found missing.

TGL management reported the loss to the Tarkwa police and instituted a five million cedi reward for the recovery of the bus.

On December 15, last year, Ho police sent a message that the bus had been impounded leading to the arrest of James Neequaye, Mintah and Tetteh. Chief Inspector Nkansah said further investigations showed that it was Mintah who single-handedly stole the bus and drove it out of the mine through unapproved roads and involved Tetteh in the deal.

Mintah asked Neequaye to accompany them to Ho on an errand, the prosection added. gri.