Businessman in court for car theft

A 45-year-old businessman accused of stealing a Toyota High Lander 4x4, valued at GH?65,000.00 has been granted a GH?95,000.00 bail with two sureties by a Kumasi Circuit Court.

Ernest Kofi Sarkodie has denied the offence and he would reappear before the Court on June 29.

His accomplice, Owusu Mensah, is at large and is being sought for by the Police.

The prosecution told the Court, presided over by Comfort Tasiame, that the complainant, Mr Yaw Anane, a car dealer, was a resident of Kentinkrono in Kumasi, whereas Sarkodie, who claimed to be a car dealer, lived at West Legon in the Greater Accra Region.

The conspiracy to steal the car started to play out on October 3, 2013, when a witness in the case, whose name was not given, went for the complainant’s unregistered 4x4 Toyota Highlander car, which had been displayed for sale, he said.

He said the witness went for the vehicle valued at a car sales point located at the Bekwai Roundabout in Kumasi, to be shown to Sarkodie, who had expressed interest in buying it.

The prosecutor said the witness later informed the complainant that Sarkodie had bolted with the car, a 2008 model with the face value of GH? 65,000.00.

When a report was, subsequently, made to the Ridge Police, the witness was arrested to assist in investigation, he said, but several efforts to trace the accused person and the car failed.

However, on March 17, 2014, Sarkodie was arrested at his hide-out in Accra and handed over to the Police in Kumasi for investigations to continue, the court was told.

In his caution statement, the prosecution said, he admitted the offence and alleged that a friend, Owusu Mensah, seized the car from him but both the car and his friend could not be traced.

Sarkodie was charged and put before the Court, after police had concluded investigations.