Arraign suspects early for day's proceedings -- Judge tells police

Techiman (B /A) May 11, GNA-Mr. Michael Cudjoe Ntumy, judge of Techiman circuit court has advised the police to ensure that suspects granted bail appeared before the court early for the day's proceedings. He said delays for the start of the day's sittings caused by the late arrival of suspects impeded the work of the court and warned he would not deal leniently with suspects who failed to appear on time.

The judge gave the warning when several suspects who had been granted bail kept the court waiting for several hours before appearing and expressed dissatisfaction with the performance of the police. Mr. Ntumy urged the police to work as professionals and not to allow suspects to take the court or the law for a ride "since justice delayed is justice denied". He stressed that the continuing adjournment of cases adversely affected the performance of the court.

Meanwhile a magistrate court at Tuobodom in Techiman municipality has sentenced a 28 year-old security man for two years in hard labour for stealing. Issah Abdulai pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing 30 pieces of iron rods worth 450 Ghana cedis belonging to Mr. Peter Asamoah Adom, Managing Director of Aspet A Enterprise in Techiman.

Police Sergeant David Alhassan told the court, presided by Mr. Issah Abdul Wahab that, on May one this year, the accused took advantage of a heavy downpour and entered the warehouse of Aspet A Enterprise and stole the iron rods. He said the convict later in the day sent the rods to a steel bender for sale but the latter suspecting the items to be stolen alerted the police who arrested Abdulai. Passing sentence, Mr. Wahab advised Abdulai to desist from the practice and expressed the hope that the conviction would serve as a deterrent to like-minded persons.