ECG driver jailed and fined for stealing master card

A driver of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) who stole the company’s master card and used it to reconnect customers’ meters and pocketed the proceeds was on Thursday sentenced to six months imprisonment by the Osu District Magistrate's Court.

James Okyere, in addition would pay a fine of GH¢120 or in default serve another 18 months.

Okyere pleaded guilty to stealing.

The trial Judge Mr. Aboagye Tandoh, convicting the accused said he took into consideration the number of years he had worked with ECG and his age.

Mr. Paul Asibi Abariga, an Attorney with the ECG told the court that the complainant was the Coordinator of the Revenue Protection Unit of the Company and Okyere an employee resident at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

Sometime in May this year, while the complainant and his team were on field investigations, they detected illegal connection in the premises of some customers of which they suspected a master card was being used.

The investigation, Mr. Abariga said led to the arrest of Okyere and a witness in the case who stated that it was Okyere who gave him a master card which was used to restart customers’ meters for them.

Mr. Abariga said Okyere during interrogation admitted the offence and led the Police to his residence and the master card was retrieved.

He said investigations revealed that Okyere, who drove the pre-paid unit personnel, stole the master card and used the facility to reconnect customers’ meters and illegally obtained sums of monies from them.**