Man sentenced to twelve months for stealing

Awal Mohammed, a driver's mate charged with stealing has been sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment with hard labour by the Osu Community Tribunal.

Mohammed believed to be in his twenties pleaded not guilty. Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Margaret Awuni told the tribunal chaired by Mrs Ivy Heward Mills that at about 07:15 this morning, Mr Harison Baidoo, who works with the SSNIT Pension House, was driving his car towards his office. She said on reaching the Trades Union Congress (TUC) traffic lights the accused with two other accomplices, now at large, signalled to him that his back tyre was deflating. According to Chief Inspector Awuni, when the complainant got down to find out about the tyre, the accused person together with his accomplices opened the front door of the car and picked his mobile phone valued at 1.5 million cedis, after which they took to their heels. Chief Inspector Awuni said the complainant raised the alarm, but the accused and his accomplices scared away passers by, who tried to arrest them with knives.

She said this enabled the two to run away, but the accused was overpowered and the mobile phone was collected from him. According to Chief Inspector Awuni, when the accused was handed over to the police he admitted the offence.