Techiman (Brong Ahafo), 31st May 99 -
A wanted man, Ali Samuel alias Samuel Abugri, whose picture appeared on the front page of the Daily Graphic of May 12, 1999 has been jailed for 12 months on a different charge of stealing by the Techiman circuit tribunal.
Prosecuting Police Chief Inspector Mary Asunta said Abugri went to Mr Jacob Avoka, a teacher of Techiman Kramo Junior Secondary School, and told him that a bus, on which he was travelling from Kumasi to Bolgatanga, had an accident at the outskirts of Techiman, on May nine this year.
She said the accused claimed he was sent to the Holy Family Hospital, at Techiman for treatment and was discharged but he could not trace his belongings from the vehicle.
Mr Avoka agreed to accommodate him for the night.
The Prosecution said the following day Mr Avoka left for school leaving Abugri at home.
Chief Inspector Asunta said when Mr Avoka returned from school, Abugri told him that he was going to a Kumasi hospital for further treatment.
He decided to see Abugri off but as they were leaving the house, his wife detected the loss of her piece of cloth valued at 50,000 cedis from the bedroom.
She said when the accused was confronted and searched the cloth was found in his bag and was escorted to the Techiman Police station.
It was during the trial, that his picture appeared in the newspaper as being wanted by the Police at Osu, Accra, for stealing over 16 million cedis.
When his picture was shown to him, Abugri admitted, saying, "yes I am the one", without remorse.
He has been sent to Sunyani to serve the 12 months term of imprisonment while arrangements are being made to send him to Osu.