Driver sentenced to five years for theft of KIA truck

A Kumasi Circuit Court has sentenced a driver to five years imprisonment for the theft of a GH¢15,000.00 KIA truck.

Emmanuel Obeng, 36, pleaded guilty to the offence whiles Kwabena Nkrumah, a colleague standing trial with him was cautioned and discharged.

Chief Inspector Fredrick Banson, told the court presided over by Justice D.W.P. Amedior that, the complainant, Osei Kwame, is the owner of the truck who in February, Obeng approached him and pleaded that, he employed him to drive it.

The complainant agreed, handed over the keys to him and asked that he took the vehicle to the workshop to fix a mechanical fault.

He said Obeng, however, drove the truck away never returned it and also refused to receive phone calls from Osei.

Chief Inspector Banson said Osei became suspicious and made a formal report to the Police Buffalo Unit in Kumasi, who sent messages to all police stations across the country to be on the lookout for the said truck.

The prosecution said two months later, the stolen vehicle was found being driven by Nkrumah at Offinso-Kyekyewere and he was arrested.

He led the police to arrest Obeng, who he said, engaged him to drive the truck.

The convict admitted the offence and confessed taking total sales of GH¢1,000.00 from Nkrumah.

The court ordered the release of the vehicle to its owner, Osei.**