Court grants 800 million cedis bail to container thieves.

Tema, May 1, GNA -- Three workers at the Tema port who are alleged to have stolen a total of 25 40 footer containers valued at 125 million cedis have been granted 800 million cedis bail each. Ebenezer A. Nunoo, Dominic Obuobi now on the run, Solomon West (an operator) and David Nunoo Freight Forwarder pleaded guilty to charges of stealing and dishonestly receiving.

They will reappear on May 20, 2004.

Prosecuting, Inspector Adolphus Otchere, told the Tema circuit court "A" presided over by Mr Charles Asiedu that on September 24, 2003, the complainant from Maersk Sealane was informed by a witness that on September 17, 2003, while Ebenezer was working at container yard of the company, he was seen between 8 to 11 pm loading four containers unto a truck.

He said upon this information, a report was made to the Police Buffalo Unit, leading to the arrest of Ebenezer, adding during investigations, he admitted and mentioned Dominic now at large as his accomplice. Police investigations led to establish that 21 containers belonging to Maersk Sealane had been stolen and they were retrieved from witnesses some of whom showed receipts that David sold to them, and he (David) was pointed out by witnesses who bought them and he was arrested. Inspector Otchere said in a caution statement, David mentioned that Dominic gave him the containers at the cost of 6.5 and four million cedis in June 2003; however, he could not mention who sold to him the rest of the containers.

He said further investigations showed that two vehicles that loaded the container were AS 3134 E and AS 3223 N, and when the Kumasi office of Licensing office was contacted to establish the owners, it was revealed that the first vehicle was a number for a saloon car and the second number is Yamaha motor cycle.