A 29-year-old mechanic has been remanded into police custody after pleading guilty to dishonestly receiving a television set allegedly stolen from a tomb at Nwase Cemetery in the Ashanti Region.
Yussif Sammed, also known as Isaac, a resident of Mampong Zongo, appeared before the Nsuta Circuit Court in the Sekyere Central District on Friday, October 30.
He is accused of buying a 50-inch TCL LCD television, valued at GH¢4,000, which was allegedly removed from the tomb of the late sister of a 62-year-old farmer, Kofi Boafo.
A second suspect, identified as Atta Nketiah, is currently at large, with police pursuing efforts to arrest him.
Prosecuting Chief Inspector Owusu Kobi Moses told the court that Boafo discovered the incident on October 13 after receiving information that his late sister’s tomb at Nwase Cemetery had been tampered with.
When he visited the cemetery, he found that the television had been removed from the well-furnished tomb, the prosecution said.
Boafo subsequently reported the matter to the Mampong Police on October 15.
Investigations led police to Clifford Baah, a tricycle operator who reportedly told investigators that Nketiah had hired his vehicle on October 13 to transport the television to Sammed.
Baah later led police to Sammed and identified him as the person who had bought the television, according to the prosecution.
Sammed reportedly fled after seeing the police.
However, a search of his room led to the recovery of the television.
He was later brought to the police station on October 20 by Awal Mohammed, the Assembly Member for the Zongo Electoral Area, to assist with investigations.
The court heard that in a caution statement, Sammed admitted buying the television from Nketiah for GH¢650.
When the charge was read to him, he pleaded guilty with an explanation.
He told the court that Nketiah had approached him for financial assistance, claiming that his wife was receiving care at a hospital’s labour ward after giving birth.
According to Sammed, Nketiah requested GH¢650 as an agent fee and promised to repay the money and retrieve the television.
Sammed said he handed over the money based on that assurance.
The court questioned whether he had requested a receipt or made enquiries about the ownership of the television before paying for it. He admitted that he had done neither.
The court subsequently entered a plea of guilty against him.
Presiding judge Simon Nketiah Gagah remanded Sammed into police custody and adjourned the case to November 3 for conviction and sentencing.
Meanwhile, police are continuing efforts to apprehend Nketiah, who is still at large.
