Caretaker, driver’s mate remanded over stolen items worth GH¢221.370

An Accra Circuit Court has remanded into police custody a caretaker accused of stealing his employer’s items worth GH¢221,370.00 at Lashibi in Accra.

Francis Quaye, a 30-year-old mason appeared in court with his accomplice, Prince Dunu, a 17-year-old driver’s mate.

Quaye and Dunu have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, unlawful entry, causing unlawful damage, and five counts of stealing. The court did not take their pleas.

They are expected to reappear on April 11, 2024.

The prosecution, led by Inspector Shiela Tetteh, said the Complainant Mark Sarfo was a trader and stayed at Pokuase, but was mostly based in the United Kingdom (UK).

The accused, Francis Quaye is a mason staying in Lashibi and sometimes, Akosombo in the Eastern Region.

The second accused person, Prince Dunu, is a driver’s mate staying in a kiosk at Lashibi.

Inspector Tetteh said about two years ago, Quaye, who worked for the complainant, approached him and pleaded with him to allow him to be his caretaker at his new building at Lashibi.

According to the prosecutor, the complainant agreed and handed over his building to him and gave a key to one of the rooms to Quaye.

On January 8, 2024, the complainant returned to Ghana and visited his house on February 12, 2024, in Lashibi Community 19 and detected that all the electrical wires in the house had been cut, removed, and some completely damaged by the accused persons.

The prosecution said the complainant also detected that one of the rooms had been forcibly opened and his fifteen(15) LG 2.5 horsepower Air-conditioners, a box containing curtains, one Kenwood kettle, one Sony sound system, a washing machine, Russell Hopps Microwave, Markus Hoover, Towels and 12 pieces of rechargeable light which were all new had been stolen from the room.

The prosecution said the value of the stolen items was estimated at GH¢221,370.00.

According to the prosecution, the complainant tried several times to contact Quaye on his phone, but he refused to pick up the calls and all efforts made to locate his whereabouts were abortive.

The prosecution said on February 23, 2024, the complainant lodged a complaint at the police station and Quaye was arrested at his hideout at Akosombo.

The prosecutor said Quaye admitted the offense in his cautioned statement and also mentioned Dunu as his accomplice.

Quaye also mentioned some other people he sold the air-conditioners to.

On March 15, 2024, Dunu was arrested in another uncompleted building for cutting copper wires and brought to the station.

The prosecution said Quaye then pointed out Dunu to the police as his accomplice.

Dunu, however, denied the offenses in his caution statement.