By Emelia Nkrumah/Stanley Senya
Accra, Feb. 08, GNA – A 32-year-old journalist, who allegedly stole GHS33, 600.00 belonging to a welder has been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.
The accused person also caused unlawful damage to the welder.
Mr Osman Abadoo, charged with conspiracy to commit crime, trespassing, stealing, and causing unlawful damage, pleaded not guilty.
The Court presided over by Mrs Rosemary Baah Tosu admitted the accused person to GHS80, 000.00 bail with two sureties.
Meanwhile, his accomplices; Musah Nsoh and Yakubu Abane Asokeh, were jointly charged with conspiracy to commit crime and trespassing.
Asokeh is also facing a charge of causing unlawful damage and stealing.
Nsoh and Asokeh failed to appear before Court for their plea to be taken.
Prosecuting Police Inspector Teye Okuffo prayed the Court to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of Nsoh and Asokeh.
The Court therefore heard the submission of the Prosecution and issued a criminal sermon for Nsoh and Asokeh to appear before it.
The case has been adjourned to March 1, 2023.
The Prosecution told the Court that the complainants Sylvester Emmanuel Nana Kwasi Asante and Frederick Omari, a Media Practitioner and an Arch-Welder, resided at Rails-Cross and Alajo, Accra.
It said the accused persons were Journalist, Traditional Ruler, and a Presiding Member at Ablekuma Central Municipal Assembly.
The Prosecution said on March 1, 2002, the Ghana Railway Company Limited leased their 0.40 acres of land to Asante and his cousin, Mr. Daniel Okyere, (now deceased) for the period of 50 years.
It said Asante fenced the land and put a metal gate to prevent people from trespassing on the land and placed Omari as a caretaker of the land.
The Prosecution said in 2017, Asante lodged a complaint against Abadoo and Nsoh who had trespassed and Abadoo was arrested whilst working on the land.
It said during interrogations, Abadoo told the Police that he was sent by Nsoh to work on the land.
The Prosecution said Abadoo produced a photocopy of the plan on behalf of Nsoh and he was warned to produce Nsoh for investigations.
It said on September 25, 2017, the Regional CID/Accra wrote a letter No. RID/AR.18/V.14/105 dated September 25, 2017, together with Asante and Nsoh’s photocopies of their respective site plans attached to the letter to the Ghana Railway Company Limited to establish the ownership of the land as well as the authenticity of their documents.
The Prosecution said on October 19, 2017, the Ghana Railway Company Limited responded to the RCID/Accra letter in reference and it read, “We wish to indicate that, Daniel Okyere and Nana Kwasi Asante S.E. were lessees of the Ghana Railway Company Limited.
This is because, the complainants have been paying their annual ground rent to the Railway Authority and there is a record of their occupation of the said land.
“On the other hand, Musah Nsoh cannot hold himself as a lessee, because there is no record of demand, has never paid ground rent to the authority and his site plan No. 45671 is not part of the Ghana Railway Authority’s records. The site plan of Musah Nsoh looks superimposed and different from the official Railway site plan in their custody,” it said.
It said Abadoo, who was on police enquiry bail, was warned by the Police not to step on the land again.
The Prosecution said on March 23, 2021, Omari, who was the caretaker of the said land also lodged a complaint about stealing and causing unlawful damage against the accused persons.
It said investigation established that Abadoo and Nsoh led a group of young men suspected to be land guards and caused damage to Omari’s wooden structure shop and stole his money, cash of GHS 33,600.00 which was given to him by one Diana Yeboah to make a metal gate for her.
The Prosecution said Abadoo was charged with the offences to appear before court.
It said a letter was sent to the Municipal Chief Executive Officer of Ablekuma Central to produce Nsoh to assist in the investigation.
The Prosecution said efforts were being made to arrest Asokeh and those at large to assist the investigation.
GNA