Phony Beggar Jailed

The Madina Community Tribunal in Accra on Friday sentenced Baba Seidu, 30, who had been feigning disability, to 12 months' imprisonment with hard labour for beating up a blind beggar he accused of invading his begging territory.

Police Chief Inspector Elizabeth Arthur told the tribunal that on September 19 passers-by saw Seidu assaulting a blind beggar at a point along the Independence Avenue near Opeibea House close to the Airport Junction.

She said when the passers-by accosted Seidu, he claimed that the blind man elicited more sympathy and had, therefore, snatched commuters he described as his customers from him.

The passers-by seized Seidu and handed him over to the Airport Police.

While processing him before putting him into cells, the Police discovered that the left arm of Seidu that he had bandaged with rags to make it to appear to have been amputated was indeed full and very healthy.

Seidu pleaded guilty to the charge of causing nuisance and obstructing public passageway and the tribunal chaired by Mrs Ivy Heward Mills convicted him on his own plea. GNA