ECG staff testifies in court

Emmauel Kwaku Dadzie, the District Commercial Officer of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Central Region, last Friday appeared before an Accra Fast Track High Court, Financial Division, where he testified against Edward Yankey, a meter reader who allegedly stole eight master cards belonging to the ECG.

The witness told the court presided over by Justice Bright Mensah that the accused person was “a meter reader who was on contract with the company”.

The officer said these in his evidence in-chief led by Paul Abariga, the prosecuting attorney of the ECG.

Dadzie said on February 10, 2013, he had information that some customers at Ankaful and some surrounding areas had been using electricity without paying for it.

According to him, he consequently called some officers who had master cards in their possession to ascertain whether those officers had given theirs to anybody or had theirs stolen but all those he contacted said their cards were not missing.

He said he decided to ask Yankey as he was one of those who had access to the cards at a point in time and noted that after several discussions with him, the accused person admitted to the offence.

The witness stated that he asked the accused person which houses he had fixed the prepaid meters and he took him to a house and showed them a one phase meter belonging to one Sackey.

He said he did not believe the meter reader because a single phase meter could not be used for a three-phase house, which was where he took him to.

According to the witness, the accused person’s wife took nine master cards to ECG after he asked Yankey to produce all the cards in his possession.

He said three of the master cards, which included one belonging to the accused person, worked, adding that the rest were not functioning properly and tendered all the cards to the court in evidence.

Explaining further, the officer said the accused person was consequently arrested and taken to the police station where his statement was taken.

Under cross-examination by Kwaku Osei-Asare, counsel for the meter reader, the witness said he was the commercial manager of ECG and dealt with issues of revenue as well as master cards.

He said they wanted to find out how he managed to get all the cards because people were not allowed to have master cards, adding that they were usually given to staff for a specific purpose, after which they are returned to ECG.

Mr. Dadzie explained that these days, staff of ECG were given master cards with their names attached to them to ensure that they did not get into wrong hands.

When asked whether there were cases where a meter could develop a fault and not read the exact units consumed, the witness said even though that was possible, the amount of units consumed by a person was readable by their staff because of a gadget at the back.

He proceeded to mention the types of master cards available.

The case has been adjourned to April 19, 2013.

Comfort Wuadon Wanden was the first witness to testify against Yankey.

The accused person has pleaded not guilty to stealing and intentionally interfering with the ECG distribution of power and has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢50,000, with a surety and to report every fortnight to the police attached to the ECG.