Tears of a father draw sympathy of lawyers to pay son's fine

Accra, Aug. 4, GNA - The tears of middle-aged man whose son was fined GH¢ 70.00 by an Accra Circuit Court on Monday drew the sympathy of two lawyers who mobilised funds to pay the fine. Gideon Amartey Armah, the sales boy, was said to have forged the signature of a customer of United Bank for Africa (UBA) to withdraw GH¢ 20.00.

Luck, however, ran out on him when he attempted to withdraw GH¢10.00 at the same bank. Relations of Armah who stood outside the court also wept uncontrollably.

Armah, who pleaded guilty to forgery of document, uttering document, stealing and attempting to commit crime, would in default, serve six months. But soon after Armah's plea was taken, his father who was in tears raised up his hand and told the court that his son had refunded the money.

Mr Musah Ahmed and Mr K. Nimako, both lawyers, who were there for different case, pleaded for mitigation, promised to mobilise some funds to pay if he were fined. When the court enquired from the Armah's father how much he had on him, he said he had GH¢ 20 cedis. Soon after, the two lawyers and the sales boy's father managed to mobilise GH¢ 70 in the court room. The court therefore sentenced him to a fine. The GH¢ 70 Ghana cedis which was realized from the contributions made by the lawyers and the boy's in the court room was used in paying the fine.

The case presented by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) George Abavelim is that the complainant was a banker of UBA. On July 29 this year Armah, who was not a customer of the bank, forged the signature of one Alex Boahen and succeeded in withdrawing 20 Ghana cedis from the account. The prosecution said on August 1, Armah attempted to withdraw 10 Ghana cedis from the same account but he was apprehended by the bank official who caused his arrest. Armah in his cautioned statement admitted the offence.