Businessman jailed over MTN Recharge Cards

A businessman who stole MTN recharge cards valued at GH¢157,603.50 has been sentenced to six years imprisonment by a circuit court in Accra.

Francis Pinkrah Junior was handed down the sentence after the court presided over by Mr Justice Francis Obiri had found him guilty on the charge of stealing.

The court said it had given the convict months to pay the complainant but he failed to do so and rather, petitioned the Chief Justice, that the trial judge was compelling him to pay the amount.

Despite the months given to Pinkrah, he was unable to pay as the trial went on.

Prosecution said Pinkrah lived at Weija old barrier and on August 17 and 23, 2012, at Dansoman, a suburb of Accra, Prinkrah stole the MTN recharge cards valued at GH¢157,603.50 belonging to one Theresah Asiedu.

The prosecution said Pinkrah discussed with the complainant about the profit they can make in dealing with recharge cards.

The complainant became interested and told her husband, who is also a witness in the case, about Pinkrah’s proposals.

The prosecution said Pinkrah took the complainant to IZONE Company, the sole authorized dealers of MTN recharge cards at Labone in Accra.

The husband of the complainant also made a follow up to the company’s office and talked to the management on behalf of the complainant to be supplied with the cards on credit.

Prosecution said IZONE started supplying the recharge cards to both the complainant and the accused on credit.

It became a common practice that both parties could take the others stock from the company and hand it to the other.

The prosecution said during the month of August 2012, the complainant travelled to her home town to spend some weeks.

The accused took advantage of her absence and collected goods worth GH¢157,603.50 in her name and sold them.

The accused person failed to pay back the amount and also did not inform the complainant about it.

The complainant only got to know about it when the CEO of the company questioned the complainant about the amount.

The company and complainant then confronted the accused person and he admitted selling the cards and made a part payment of GH¢30,000.00 to the husband of the complainant and asked for some time to pat the rest.

Pinkrah defaulted and the case was reported to the police and he was arrested.

He admitted the offence and said that he could not make full payment because IZONE in collaboration with MTN blocked the recharge cards.

Pinkrah said he had made payments to the company, leaving a balance of GH¢90,000.00, which investigations conducted at the company’s office at Labone proved otherwise.

Pinkrah was therefore charged with the offence after investigations.