A driver who dishonestly appropriated two excavators, cars, and land valued €160,000 (GH₵2,059,814.40) belonging to a retiree, has been sentenced to 12 years imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court.
The culprit, Isaac Dwomoh also known as Nana Yaw was held on four counts of fraudulent breach of trust.
Dwomoh pleaded guilty and the court presided over by Mrs. Adelaide Abui Keddy convicted him on his plea. He prayed through his counsel to the court to have mercy on him.
The prosecution led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Haligah beseeched the court to consider the intrinsic seriousness of the offence and the premeditation with which the accused carried out his plans.
It further entreated the court to consider the loss suffered by the complainant, Comfort Amo, and the long-term effect of the offence on her.
“It is our prayer that the sentence will be retributive and deterrent enough to serve as a lesson to likeminded persons.”
The case of the prosecution is that the complainant is a Retired Health Care Nurse domiciled in London while Dwomoh lived in Ghana.
In February 2019, the complainant arrived in the country on holiday.
The prosecution said that on her arrival at Kotoka International Airport, the complainant requested for an Uber ride service to her home at Haatso and Dwomoh was assigned to her.
It said that a few months after the complainant’s stay in Ghana, she bought a KIA Picanto saloon car for Dwomoh to use for Uber ride service and left for London.
The prosecution said while in London, the complainant was in constant touch with Dwomoh and through their conversation, she declared the intent to return to Ghana.
It said while in London, the complainant shipped two CAT excavators valued at €135,000 each, a Toyota RAV4 utility vehicle costing €20,000 and sent €5,000 to Dwomoh to purchase a parcel of land at Pokuase.
The prosecution told the court that in December 2022, the complainant arrived in the country for the holidays and called Dwomoh to pick her up at the Airport, but he did not show up, switched off his phone and went into hiding.
It said all efforts made by the complainant to trace the accused and the vehicles proved futile.
The complainant, therefore, reported the case to the Police.
On January 29, 2023, Dwomoh was arrested at his hideout.
The prosecution said in his caution statement that Dwomoh admitted to selling all the vehicles and misappropriating the proceeds.