Court grants ex-convict bail

Kumasi (Ashanti Region) -- A Circuit Court in Kumasi on Tuesday granted Kwabena Dodzi, an ex-convict who was suspected to have attacked six houses at Ohwim New Site near Kwadaso in Kumasi, was granted a ten-million cedis bail with one surety to be justifiedjustify.

Dodzi, a carpenter, was alleged to have broken into houses and made away with video decks, tape recorders, sound systems, gold watches, a camera and cash of three million cedis.

He pleaded not guilty to ten counts of stealing and unlawful presence at premises and will re-appear on March 19, 2003.

In granting bail, Mr Ernest Yao Obimpeh, the presiding judge said, he took into consideration the submission by counsel for the accused that nobody had claimed ownership of the items since he was arrested and that he must therefore, be given the benefit of the doubt.

Mr Obimpeh said the court was also convinced that the tape recorder and gold wristwatch belonged to the accused as he claimed.

Police Chief Inspector J.K. Afful, told the court that between January and early part of February, this year, residents at Ohwim New Site were affected by a series of robberies and reported the matter to the police.

He said the robberies were carried out without the doors of the houses being tampered with even though items were stolen from the rooms

The prosecution said suspicious of the work of an insider, the residents launched investigations into the robberies but could not get the culprit.

Chief Inspector Afful said a few days after abandoning the investigations, Dodzi sneaked quietly into the house of one Kwaku Anane and was in the process of opening one of the doors of the house when a maid found him and raised an alarm.

Sensing danger, the accused jumped over a wall and escaped but the residents reported the case to the Asuofua police who arrested him.

Inspector Afful said two videocassette recorders, a camera and a tape recorder were found in the room of the accused, who claimed they were given to him for sale by one Alex.