Fake doctor grabbed for stealing car

A self-styled doctor, who claimed to be a staff of the University of Ghana Medical School at Korle-Bu and feigned interest in buying a Mitsubishi Pajero but sped off with it after being handed the vehicle to test drive, has been arraigned for stealing.

The suspect, Nana Osei Boakye, a trader, was arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court presided over by Mrs Jennifer Myers Ahmed and charged with stealing but he denied any wrongdoing.

He has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢33,000 with three sureties while the case has been adjourned to November 5, 2015.

The facts of the case as presented by the prosecuting officer, Inspector Georgina Tetteh, are that the complainant is an auto mechanic living at Ashongman while the suspect is a trader and a resident of Awoshie.

She said somewhere in December 2014 the auto mechanic wanted to sell his Mitsubishi Pajero and displayed “For Sale” and his number on it. He later got a call from the trader who expressed interest in buying the vehicle.

According to her, the suspect told the complainant he was a medical doctor and a staff of the Ghana Medical School at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.

In addition, she said the trader said he wanted to have a look at the vehicle but due to the nature of his work he wouldn’t be able to make it to Ashongman and asked the complainant to meet him at the Department of Surgery, Korle-Bu.

The police officer stated that the suspect negotiated the price with the complainant and they arrived at GH¢30,000 as the price of the vehicle and the auto mechanic drove the vehicle to the Department of Surgery at Korle-Bu.

Furthermore, she noted that when the complainant got there the suspect asked to test drive the vehicle around the premises, to which the complainant agreed and the suspect sped off and never returned with the vehicle.

She explained that the complainant later called the suspect who agreed to pay through MTN mobile money transfer but never did. He was later identified by the complainant during an identification parade.

The police officer said the suspect denied the offence and said he had never set eyes on the complainant but the police, who had earlier arrested the suspect in a similar offence, had him arraigned after police concluded investigations.