CEPS official steals vehicle

Koforidua, Aug 26, GNA - Emmanuel Opoku, a Junior Collector of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), was on Thursday remanded in police custody by the Koforidua Circuit Court after failing to report when granted police enquiry bail. The accused whose plea was not taken was facing a charge of stealing and defrauding by false pretences. He will re-appear on August 30. Police Chief Inspector Eric Twum-Frimpong, prosecuting, told the court that the complainant, Simon Ofori, was a driver who resides at Old Akim Tafo.

Koforidua, Aug 26, GNA - Emmanuel Opoku, a Junior Collector of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), was on Thursday remanded in police custody by the Koforidua Circuit Court after failing to report when granted police enquiry bail. The accused whose plea was not taken was facing a charge of stealing and defrauding by false pretences. He will re-appear on August 30. Police Chief Inspector Eric Twum-Frimpong, prosecuting, told the court that the complainant, Simon Ofori, was a driver who resides at Old Akim Tafo. He said in November 2009, Ofori confided in a friend that he bought a Kia pride saloon car imported from Togo at Kumasi at the cost of GHC 4,300 but the seller failed to hand over all the documents covering the car to him. The prosecutor said Ofori's friend, then introduced Opoku to him as a customs officer who could assist in the registration. He said Opoku demanded GHC 1,000 from Ofori to be used to secure all the documents. Ofori later paid the money and handed over the car to Opoku. Inspector Twum-Frimpong said Opoku failed to return the car and when Ofori demanded for his car and money, the accused could not produce them. He said Opoku pleaded with Ofori to give him sometime to return both the money and the car but could not do so after the given period. Ofori lodged a complaint with the police Regional Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Opoku was arrested. After investigations, he was charged with the offences and arraigned before court. Inspector Twum-Frimpong said Opoku was granted police enquiry bail to report back on July 2 but he failed to do so. He said Opoku's mother, Abena Amoakoa and his wife, Ama Gyemea stood sureties for him, but several efforts made on the two sureties to produce Opoku for further investigation failed. The prosecutor said on August 17, the sureties were served with a process to appear before the court to explain why they had not been able to produce Opoku to the police. He said on August 23, upon a tip off, the police arrested Ama at Oyoko who had packed her belongings and that of Opoku into a Kia truck from New Tafo and was heading towards Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region. Later Opoku was also arrested in Koforidua.