By Emelia Nkrumah
Accra, July 28, GNA – A 33-year-old hairdresser, who stole GH₵39,000.00 from a businesswoman has been sentenced to pay a fine of GH₵18,000.00 by an Accra Circuit Court.
Bernice Kwanor, who was charged with stealing, initially pleaded not guilty.
However, at the end of the trial, she was found guilty by the Court presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah.
The Court, therefore, sentenced the accused person to pay 1,500 penalty units (GH₵18,000.00) and in default would serve eight months imprisonment in hard labour.
The Court ordered the convict to refund the remaining money to the complainant.
The facts as presented by Police Chief Inspector Benson Benneh, were that the complainant was a businesswoman and resided in Teshie, while the convict was a resident of Akosombo No.1 Teshie.
The prosecution said on October 2, 2020, the complainant employed the convict as a salesgirl to take care of her provision shop situated at Ayorkor Wuo, Teshie, where she also sold cold store products and local foodstuff.
It said the complainant later travelled to the United States of America on a business trip.
The prosecution said during October 2020 and February 2021, the convict had stolen an amount of GH₵39,000.00, in sales, she had made from the shop and recorded the same down in a sales book.
It said on April 1, 2021, the complainant returned from her trip and asked the convict to render an account to her, but the convict could not account for the sales.
The prosecution said the convict, who could not account for the stolen money thereafter went into hiding.
It said efforts made by the complainant to locate the convict proved futile.
The prosecution said on April 16, 2021, a complaint was made to the Police and on the same day, the investigation led to the arrest of the convict from her hideout.
It said during investigations, the convict admitted the offence and said she only stole an amount of GH₵800.00.
The prosecution said the convict later refunded to the Police an amount of GH₵1,000.00.
GNA