Four years for damaging police barrier

Juaso (Ash.), Sept. 7, GNA - A 46-year-old driver who deliberately caused unlawful damage to a police barrier after he had been signalled to stop, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment in hard labour by a circuit court at Juaso.

Michael Yankson pleaded guilty to two counts of causing unlawful damage and attempt to commit crime and was convicted on his own plea. Police Detective Inspector Mike Fritz Bekoe, told the court presided over by Mr Jacob Boon that on July 11 this year, around 11 hours, the police at Agogo received a distress call that some people were stealing goats in some parts of the town.

According to the prosecution, before the police got to the scene the culprits had already fled in a vehicle towards Konongo. As a result the police stationed at Juansah were alerted and they mounted a barrier in an effort to prevent occupants of the vehicle from escaping.

However, Yankson, who was in-charge of the vehicle together with others now at large, on reaching the barrier ignored signals by the police to stop and drove through the barrier causing considerable damage to it.

Inspector Bekoe said a message was further relayed to the police at Konongo who intercepted the suspects at Nyaboe compelling the accused and his accomplices to abandon the vehicle and ran into a nearby bush but Yankson was, chased and arrested.

In his caution statement, the accused admitted the offence and agreed to assist the police to trace his other accomplices whom he claimed were hiding in Accra.

He could, however, not lead the police to arrest any of the suspects when he was escorted to Accra and was therefore charged with the offences. 07 Sept. 07