Ex-convict gets two years for stealing

Lawra (UW), June 10, GNA - The Lawra District Court has jailed a 25-year-old ex-convict Francis Naupourno, alias 'Sakora' for stealing 3.6 million cedis belonging to a former official of the Upper West Regional Co-ordinating Council.

Naupourno, who pleaded guilty to the charge, stole the money while the official was dozing off after taking a few tots of a local liquor at a bar at Nandom.

Police Inspector Bruce Owusu, prosecuting, told the Court that the complainant on April 22, this year, withdrew 3.6 million cedis from the Wa branch of the Ghana Commercial Bank and left for Nandom, his hometown.

He said the official kept the money together with a portable radio and a padlock in a bag, and on arrival at Nandom, he went to a bar to have a drink.

After taking the drink, he decided to relax on a bench in front of the bar, leaving the bag containing the money on a table inside the bar.

According to Inspector Owusu, within a moment, the complainant went back to the bar to pick the bag but could not find it. He made frantic efforts to trace it, including announcements on the local FM "Radio Freed" but to no avail.

He said on May 21, this year, the complainant had information that the convict stole the bag containing the money and had travelled to Lawra on a shopping spree.

The Court heard that Naupourno bought a set of living room furniture, 12 cushions, one double wooden bedstead, Foam mattress, Tape Recorder and a new bicycle. He reportedly also rented a room. The complainant reported the matter to the police and the convict who was once jailed for six months by a Circuit Court in Wa for stealing a calculator from a Communication Centre at Nandom last year, was arrested.

The presiding judge ordered the police to release all the items retrieved from the convict to the complainant.