Richard Kromponi, a 29-year-old self-acclaimed electrician has been sentenced to three years imprisonment for stealing a Sonlink branded tricycle valued GH¢15,000.00.
Kromponi pleaded guilty with an explanation, but his explanation could not exonerate him of the crime.
He was charged with conspiracy to commit crime and stealing while his accomplice, Eric is at large.
Chief Inspector Charles Aziati, Prosecuting, told the Hohoe Circuit Court presided over by Mr Michael Johnson Abbey that the complainant was a scrap dealer and a resident of Konda a suburb of Kpando, whilst the convict, who claimed to be an electrician was a resident of Ve Hoeme.
He said the complainant owned a tricycle with registration number M-21-VR 904, which he parked by the side of his house whenever he was going to bed.
Chief Inspector Aziati said on April 16, the complainant as usual parked the tricycle at same place and went to bed, woke up the following morning and could not trace the tricycle.
He said the following day at about 0230 hours, the Volta North Regional Police Patrol team led by Sergeant David Aryeh were on patrols at Vuita, a town located on the main Hohoe to Ho Road, when they saw two occupants on a tricycle coming to join that segment of road at Vuita from Leklebi direction.
Chief Inspector Aziati said the team stopped the tricycle, which was being driven by the convict with his accomplice Eric now at large standing on the bucket of the tricycle.
He said when the team stopped them and were trying to find out why they were riding the tricycle on that stretch of the road at that time, the two were in a hurry to go by trying to part to police an amount of GH¢10.00 to pave way for them.
Chief Inspector Aziati said the team realised that the two were using fictitious ignition key to ride the tricycle in the sense that when the convict was asked to turn off the ignition, he could not turn the key fully.
He said the team then subjected him to questions during which the convict and his accomplice took to their heels and were chased leading to the arrest of the convict while his accomplice fled.
Chief Inspector Aziati said the convict was brought to the Police Headquarters, Hohoe for investigations adding that other stations within the regional catchment area were alerted on the development.
He noted that on the same day, the complainant, who went to Kpando the Police station to lodge a complaint of the theft of his tricycle was directed to come to Hohoe Police station.
Chief Inspector Aziati said the complainant came and identified the tricycle as his.
