5 Nabbed for stealing concrete mixing machines
Five persons are in the custody of the Sowutwuom police while three other suspects are on the run for allegedly stealing concrete mixing machines from construction sites around Oyibi in Accra and selling them at cheaper prices.
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The five suspects are Alex Mantey Kwame, an electrician; Kofi Amuzu and Gyima Builsa, both mechanics who are believed to have stolen the machines; Alhaji Mammud Musah and Mohammed Mukaila, the businessmen who bought the items.
The police have so far retrieved five concrete mixing machines from the suspects.
Gang of thieves
The Odorkor District Police Commander, Superintendent Abraham Acquaye, confirmed the arrest to the Daily Graphic and said the police received reports that some young men were stealing concrete mixing machines belonging to estate developers.
Police intelligence, he said, showed that one Alex (Kwame) and his gang were behind the missing machines.
When Kwame was arrested, he confessed stealing the machines and led the police to Kasoa, where three machines were retrieved from one Alhaji Musah, who also mentioned Mukaila.
The Commander said Kwame told the police that one Akwesi stole three of the machines which were sold to Builsa. The police was able to retrieve two of the machines from Builsa.
According to Mr Acquaye, Mukaila alleged, during interrogation, that Kwame and one Ibrahim brought the machine to him and sold it for GH¢3,600 for a smaller machine while a bigger one was sold for GH¢8,500. The open market prices of the concrete mixing machines are GH¢8000 and GH¢20,000 respectively.
Charges
The three suspects alleged to have stolen the machines have been charged with a count each of stealing while the two businessmen have been charged with patronising stolen goods.
The head of the crime unit of the Sowutuom Police Station, Chief Inspector Noah Boney, said the suspects might have started their operations about five months ago as reports of the stolen concrete mixing machines were received around that time.
He said they were arrested on March 24, 2014 and that an estate developer, Mr Ebenezer Otto, from Amarahien, near Oyibi, has claimed ownership of one of the mixing machines.
He said the suspects would be put before court while investigations continued. The retrieved machines are on display at the Sowutwoum Police Station.
He urged members of the public with relevant information to contact the police and help in their investigations.
Writer’s email:emelia.ennin@yahoo.com