Man who steals electric meter goes to prison for one year

A 26-year-old aluminum fabricator, Seidu Misbow, has been sentenced to one year imprisonment by the Hohoe Circuit Court for stealing an electric meter.

Misbow pleaded not guilty with an explanation, but his explanation could not exonerate him after full trial by the court, presided over by Mr Michael Johnson Abbey.

Pronouncing judgment, the court noted that the sentence would serve as deterrent to others, who intended to commit similar offences.

Chief Inspector Charles Aziati, the prosecutor, told the court that on March 30, this year, at about 1500 hours, Misbow attempted to break into the room of a witness in the case but after an alarm was raised, he ran into a bush.

Some minutes later, the witness saw the convict trying to tamper with a padlock that had been used to secure the witness’ brother’s alcohol storage room in the same house, the prosecutor said.

The witness then raised an alarm again, drawing the attention of a neighbour who came out and saw the convict running into a nearby bush, while other neighbours joined to pursue him.

The convict was caught and an electric meter, bicycle, mobile phone and a health insurance card bearing his picture were found at his hideout and was sent to the police station where he was detained to assist the police in investigations, prosecutor said.

During investigation, the complainant reported at the station that he went to his barbering shop on the said date at about 0700 hours and detected that his meter had been stolen.

Chief Inspector Aziati said the complainant identified the meter as his contrary to the convict’s statement that the meter belonged to his grandmother.

When the grandmother was contacted, she denied knowledge of the meter.

Source: GNA