Refugee to be repatriated after sentence
Tarkwa (Western Region) 3 March 2000
A Sierra Leonean refugee, Benjamin Cliff Topson, is to be repatriated after serving a two-year prison term in hard labour.
The sentence was imposed on him by a Tarkwa Circuit Court where he was tried for stealing two point six million cedis belonging to a trader.
His accomplice, Fred William of the same nationality is at large and the court issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
Topson, a 26-year old electrician was convicted on his own plea.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Lydia Vondee told the court presided over by Mr Isaac Lartey-Young that Topson and his accomplice introduced themselves to Mr Emmanuel Appiah, a telephone card seller at Tarkwa in December 1999, as members of the Baptist Church living with the Pastor of the Church at Tamso, near Tarkwa.
They pleaded for a phone card to call their parents in America and Mr Appiah gave them a 50-unit card free of charge.
In appreciation, the two presented Mr Appiah with a Bible and a daily guide the next day.
Topson again went to Mr Appiah with cloths including a pair of jeans to be exchanged for 15,000 cedis to enable him buy medicine for William, who was down with malaria.
The two later pleaded with Mr Appiah to accommodate them because the Pastor's children had joined them and the house was crowded.
On 1 March 2000, they stole the 2.5 million cedis from Mr. Appiah’s room and absconded.
Mr Appiah mounted a search and Topson was arrested in Takoradi. During interrogation, he alleged that William stole the money and gave him 480,000 cedis.
GRi../
Accra (Greater Accra) 3 March 2000
A man, who allegedly defrauded one Mr Ibrahim Sibie appeared before an Accra circuit tribunal on Thursday.
Alhaji Bashiru Abubakari allegedly collected 16 million cedis from Mr Ibrahim Sibie under the pretext of securing a German visa for him, but used the money to purchase a car.
He pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretences and was remanded in prison custody until 8 March.
The tribunal chaired by Mr Charles Louis Quist that in November 1998, Mr Sibie declared his intention to travel to Japan and Abubakari promised to assist him to obtain a visa.
Abubakari collected 12 million cedis from Mr Sibie and on 22 December 1998 he said he was finding it difficult to secure the Japnese visa, but he could rather secure a German visa for him.
According to the prosecutor, Abubakari collected additional four million cedis from Mr Sibie for the German visa.
The prosecution said the accused failed to honour the promise and also failed to refund the money to the complainant.
When the Police arrested Abubakari he said he gave part of the money to his brother to purchase an Opel Vectra car for him.
The Police has impounded car.
GRi./