Businesswoman charged with stealing 5,000 dollars

Sekondi Feb.17 (Smith)-GNA-Matilda Asola Fadolah, a 47-year-old businesswoman on Thursday appeared before a Sekondi District Magistrate's

Court for allegedly stealing 5,000 United States dollars belonging to a colleague in Israel.

The accused was granted 50 million cedis bail with three sureties of which one is to be justified to re-appear on March 10 this year. The court also ordered the accused to surrender her passport to the Police.

She pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Joe Hedidor said about five years ago, Francis Ndah gave the accused 5,000 United States dollars in Isreal to give to her mother, Geneve Baiden who lived in Takoradi when she came down to Ghana.

He said the money was to be used by the mother for Ndah's building project but the accused who lived in Accra failed to trace the mother. Chief Inspector Hedidor said Ndah informed the mother by letter that he had given the accused some money for the project so she should contact the accused.

He said Geneve found the residence of the accused at Achimota-Dome but the accused was not at home at the time of the visit.

Chief Inspector Hedidor said after several attempts to meet the accused failed, Geneve contacted her by phone and introduced herself but the accused failed to hand over the money and continued to hide.

He said Geneve reported the matter to the Police in Takoradi and on January 8 this year, Police detectives from Takoradi arrested the accused in Accra.

Chief Inspector Hedidor said during interrogation, the accused admitted having been given the money by Ndah but she had spent it.