Man steals wedding cash

Francis Degraft Johnson, a 26-year-old man who allegedly stole about GH¢1,500 from a wedding reception "gift table" in Takoradi last weekend is in the grips of the police.

According to Evangelist John Anane Boahen, the complainant in the case, he invited his friends, Mr. Johnson included, to the Air Force Junior Officers' Mess in Takoradi, where the wedding took place.

During the wedding reception, Evangelist Boahen asked Mr. Johnson to man the gifts table and take care of monies and gifts that guests would leave for the newlyweds .

After the couple had left, Evangelist Boahen, who was still attending to some guests, then asked the suspect to leave the money and gifts in his bedroom.

He was however shocked to find that together with the gifts there was only GH¢148 cash in his bedroom when over 20 people had donated GH¢50 each at the wedding reception.

The evangelist then called the suspect, who had by then left for Accra, to return to Takoradi for an important discussion. Mr. Johnson, on arrival, admitted that he did indeed take GH¢1,000 from the cash gifts.

In a handwritten letter to the complainant, Mr. Johnson stated that he was a medical doctor working with the Ghana Health Service in Accra, asking that the evangelist give him time to settle his debt.

The accused could however not produce his ID card when the police asked for it to verify his claim; he will therefore be additionally charged for posing as a medical doctor.

Meanwhile, Mr. Johnson has been remanded into police custody as investigations continue.