By Erica Apeatua Addo, GNA
Tarkwa (W/R), Jan 17, GNA – A Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced a 33-year-old driver accused of offering his car owner’s vehicle for GH￠80,000 without his approval to seven years imprisonment in hard labour.
Vincent Fisher, a resident of Kasoa, in the Central Region denied the offence when he appeared before the presiding judge, Mrs Hathia Ama Manu.
After the trial, Fisher was found guilty and punished accordingly to serve as a deterrent to other drivers.
Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Joseph Lartey said Amobi Chukwu, the complainant is a driver and a resident of Lagos, a town in Nigeria.
He said about two months ago, the complainant gave his Toyota Sienna vehicle with registration number AGL 152 GN to Fisher at Lagos for transport business.
Fisher started driving between Lagos and Accra, but after a month he told Chukwu that he wanted to marry in Ghana, and therefore pleaded to use the car for weeks.
Chief Inspector Lartey said the complainant agreed and on August 5, 2023, Fisher brought the vehicle to Ghana but after completing his programme, he failed to resume work though Chukwu contacted him on phone many times.
He said Chukwu, who realised all was not well, decided to check the tracking device he installed on the vehicle from August 21, 2023, realized the vehicle was in Manso Amenfi in the Western Region, but the convict insisted it was in Accra.
Based on the information, Chukwu came to Ghana to look for his vehicle and on August 23, 2023, he made a report at the Regional Police Command where police officers were detailed to assist him.
He said with the aid of the tracking device, the police found the vehicle parked near a house at Manso Amenfi with registration number AP 525-22, insurance, road worthy certificates and a “for sale” sticker affix on the windscreen with two mobile phone numbers.
The court heard that Fisher was picked up and the vehicle retrieved and sent to the Regional Police Headquarters for interrogations.
GNA