Court fines GHANASS matron, driver GHC17600 for stealing food items

A circuit court in Koforidua has convicted matron of the Ghana Senior High School and a driver with the Ghana Education Service for stealing food items including Rice, sugar, tin tomatoes, tin mackerel, gallons of oil, and milk from the school's kitchen.

The matron was fined 700 penalty units which is equivalent to GHC8,000 in addition to an amount of GHC6,000 to be paid into the school's account.

Her accomplice, Alfred Kuma, a driver with the GES was also fined 300 penalty units which is equivalent to GHC3,600.

Both the matron and the driver are to pay a total fine of GHC17600 or in default, serve a four-year jail term.

The matron, Comfort Oduro Bruce was arrested last year together with the driver after they were caught transporting the food items by a security man in the school, Kofi Kangyaga.

The suspects pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing and abetment of crime when they were put before the court.

The court presided over by Her honour Janet Anima Marfo, however, found them guilty of the offences.

An assistant state Attorney prosecuting, Dickson Donkor told the Court, the accused persons attempted to smuggle quantities of food items from the school with a Pick Up belonging to the Regional Education Directorate to an unknown destination.

However, upon a tip-off, the security man on duty arrested the duo and school authorities handed them over to the police for prosecution.

Detective inspector Clement Ebo Phillips has been handling the case until it was referred to the Attorney General's department.

Her honour Anima Marfo directed that all unwholesome foodstuff which includes bags and sugar be set ablaze while the rest of the food items returned to the school's kitchen for use