Fire guts house in Techiman

Sansama (B/A), Nov 10, GNA - Police in Techiman are looking for an employee of Ghana Nuts Limited in Techiman who allegedly set fire that razed a six-bedroom house at Blue Cross area near Sansama in Techiman Municipality.

Properties destroyed included furniture, refrigerators, mattresses, television sets, DVD players and a large provision store. A team of Fire Service personnel led by the Municipal Fire Officer, Mr. Awudu Tahidu, took three hours to bring the fire under control and are investigating the cause of the disaster.

Madam Mumuni Ashia, a neighbour, told the Ghana News Agency that at about 1000 hours last Thursday she saw one Obolo who is also known as Abenwaha, the employee who is a friend of the landlady of the burnt house, alighted from a taxi cab in front of the house. She said Obolo, who had previously picked a quarrel with the landlady did not greet her (neighbour) but went into the house holding a gallon concealed in a polythene bag and came out after some time and joined the waiting taxi that sped off.

Madam Ashia said moments after the vehicle had left the house caught fire. Personnel of the Fire Service and the 20 occupants of the house later reported the matter to the police but Obolo is on the run. A Techiman circuit court has sentenced Baba Inusah, a 30 year old truck pusher to a 12-year jail term in hard labour for possessing narcotic drugs. Inusah, who initially pleaded not guilty to the charge of possessing quantities of wrappers of heroin, changed his plea to guilty. Prosecuting Police Chief Inspector John Amponsah told the court presided by Mr. Michael Cudjoe Ntumy that Inusah was arrested on October 31 at the Techiman-Tano River sacred grove area with the wrappers of the drug. He said the suspected narcotic drug was sent to the police forensic laboratory, which proved it to be heroin.

Mr. Ntumy said the jail term would serve as a deterrent to other narcotic drug peddlers and ordered the destruction of the drug. 10 Nov 09