Mobile phone thief granted bail

Tema, Jan. 05, GNA - A weaver from Akosombo who entered a mobile phone shop at Tulaku, Ashaiman, to ask for prices of cell phones and cunningly hid a Nokia phone valued at 700,000 cedis in his pocket, which was detected by the shopkeeper has been granted 20 million cedis bail by the Tema Circuit Court 'B'.

William Fusese pleaded not guilty and will provide one surety and reappear on January 20.

Police Inspector Ben Agbedanu, prosecuting, told the court presided over by Mr Stephen Teye that on December 12, last year, at about 09:30 hours the accused entered "Tuzee" mobile phone shop ostensibly to purchase a cell phone.

He said after negotiating for a "Bird" mobile phone, which was priced at one million cedis, accused could not raise money to pay for it. The accused then bargained for a Nokia 2100 mobile phone, which was offered to him for 750,000 cedis. He replaced the 'Bird" cell phone, but secretly pocketed the Nokia one and started moving away from the shop. Inspector Agbedanu said the complainant detected the theft and when accused was challenged he took to his heels but was arrested about 100 meters away when the alarm was raised and the phone was retrieved from his pocket.

The accused was later handed over to the police and after investigations he was charged with the offence.