Man Fined GH�240 For Stealing Company's Diesel

Kwame Awuku, 21, a machine greaser was fined GH�240 for conspiracy and stealing. He was also bonded by the Odumase Krobo Circuit Court to be of good behaviour for a period of nine months or in default serve six months imprisonment in hard labour. In addition, he is to pay compensation of GH�120 to the complainant. He was convicted on his own plea of guilty to the charges. Briefing the court, presided over by Asmah Akwasi Asiedu, the prosecutor, Inspector Emmanuel Tetteh, said the complainants were security guards at AJ Fanj Construction Company Limited at Odugblase, near Oterkporlu. He said Awuku is a machine greaser at the same company. Vincent Narh is a farmer also at Odugblase. He said about 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2014, the complainants, who were on night duty, were on their usual patrols when they spotted the accused person around the heavy duty generator used to supply electricity to the company. He said as soon as the accused persons saw them, they bolted into the bush and they were chased but they escaped. He said the complainants, who were bent on arresting the accused person due to rampant stealing of diesel at the company, lay ambush outside the company yard about one kilometre away from the generator. The prosecutor said all of a sudden Awuku emerged and he was hotly chased and arrested. When he was arrested, he mentioned Vincent as his accomplice with whom he had siphoned two jerrycans of diesel about 40 litres, valued at GH�111.60 from the generator. He led the security men to the place they have kept the jerrycans in the bush and four other empty jerrycans were found. The accused admitted the offence in his caution statement to the police. He explained that when he was paid his monthly salary of GH�150, he bought many items on credit and after payment of his debts, he was left with only GH�7 which would not sustain him and his family, for which reason he hatched the plan with his accomplice to steal the diesel to supplement his income.