Accra, Ghana – Two persons, who stole two rented vehicles in 2018, have been sentenced to a total jail term of 14 years by an Accra Circuit Court.
According the report by Newsghana, Stephen Yaw Asiedu Debrah, 35 years old unemployed, whom the court described as the “master mind,” was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment on four counts of conspiracy to commit crime and two counts of stealing.
His accomplice, Cephas Ofoe Sechie, a trader, was sentenced to six years imprisonment on four counts of conspiracy to commit crime.
This was after the court presided over by Mrs Priscilla Dapaah Mireku found them guilty at the end of the trial.
The court, however, acquitted and discharged Walker Osman, the third accused person in the case. Osei Bediako and other accomplices are said to be at large.
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Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Agnes Boafo, said Richard Quansah was the first complainant and Mr Collins Ansah, the second complainant.
The prosecution said Mr Ansah worked with Maxi Plus Ventures, a car rental firm at Legon, Accra. It said Debrah resided at Osu while Sechie resided at La, Accra.
Walker Osman, aka Alhaji, is a labourer residing at Caprice.
The prosecution said on May 22, 2018, the first complainant, Mr Richard Quansah, received a call from Debrah that he needed a car to rent.
It said Mr Quansah then drove his Toyota Corrolla with Registration number GE 7686-18 to Atomic Junction in Accra and he demanded Debrah’s photo ID Card to enable him complete a car rental form.
It said Debrah introduced himself as a Police Officer stationed at SWAT Unit of the Ghana Police Service, national headquarters and he also showed the picture of himself in Police uniform on his cell phone.
The prosecution said Debrah rented the vehicle for two days.
According to the prosecution, on May 24, 2018, Debrah called Mr Quansah for another vehicle but he (Quansah) did not have any.
The prosecution said Mr. Quansah, therefore, called the second complainant, Mr Collins Ansah, who gave out his Toyota Corolla with registration number GR 4176-15 and same was handed over to Debrah.
The prosecution said Debrah then asked for extension of time for the first vehicle (Mr Quansah’s vehicle).
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It said police investigations revealed that on May 22, 2018, Debrah gave Mr Quansah’s vehicle to Sechie to look for a buyer.
It said on May 23, 2018, all the accused persons met and hatched a plan to sell Mr Quansah’s vehicle.
The prosecution said Debrah, Sechie and Osman asked Osei Bediako, now at large, to forge documents in the name of Sechie with his pictures fixed in the documents.
The prosecution said on the same day, Osman led Sechie and Bediako to a witness, Awudu Mohammed, to secure a loan of GHC 20,000 and used the first car as a collateral.
Two days later, the prosecution said Bediako went to Awudu Mohammed for GHC2,000 top-up loan.
When Mohammed sent the car documents to the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), he was told that the documents were fake.
The prosecution said in May 26, 2018, Osman, Debrah and Bediako forged documents on the second car to secure another loan from one Arish Abdul.
According to the prosecution, the following day, Osman led Debrah to Arish Abdul to sell the second vehicle together with the fake documents but he (Abdul) rejected them.
It said police investigations revealed that the second vehicle was later sold to another buyer who gave same out for respraying.
It said the second complainant after expiration of the rental period called Debrah but he could not be reached.
A report was made to the police and the two vehicles were tracked and retrieved from Lapaz and Russia, all suburbs of Accra.
The prosecution said the Toyota Corolla with registration number GR 4176-15 was found in the house of one Clement, a car sprayer.
In the case of the car with registration number GR 7686- 18, the prosecution said it was found in the house of Awudu Mohammed and same was retrieved.
