Instrumentalist convicted for impersonation during Prof. Mills funeral

Frank Asare Cobbinah, a 21-year-old instrumentalist, who was nabbed at the Independence Square during the funeral of the late President Evans Atta Mills for wearing police officer’s uniform, has been sentenced to a fine of GH¢250.00 by a district magistrate’s court in Accra.

Cobbinah, who changed his plea of not guilty to guilty, would in default would go to jail for four months.

The court also ordered the Police to destroy the uniform among other things which was found on Cobbinah during his arrest.

His counsel, Mr Kofi Awuku Peprah, who also pleaded for mitigation prayed the court to consider the fact that Cobbinah was a first offender and was young.

According to Mr Peprah, the few days Cobbinah spent in custody during his arrest, had taught him a lesson and that he was not going to repeat his action again.

Mr Peprah, therefore, entreated to the court to tamper justice with mercy and be lenient with Cobbinah.

The prosecution said Cobbinah was arrested on August 10th at the funeral by police personnel in plain cloth.

Cobbinah told the court that he was invited to the funeral by a friend who he alleged was a member of the Ghana Police Band, but he did not meet him.

He said the uniform he wore was a Police cadet uniform, which he used in school in 2011.

The court earlier on admitted Cobbinah to bail in the sum of GH¢5,000 bail with a surety.

Source: GNA