Legon campus thief granted bail
A 40-year-old ex-convict accused of stealing handbags and other valuables at social gatherings has been put before an Accra Circuit Court.
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The accused person, Kojo Smith, who pleaded not guilty, was granted bail in a sum of 30,000 with three sureties, one to be justified.
Smith was also ordered by the court to deposit GH¢10,000 with the court as part of the bail condition.
He told the court he was a homosexual and he used the booty from the stealing spree to pay his homosexual partners.
He is to reappear before the court on Thursday, March 17, 2016.
Modus operandi
Prosecuting, Inspector Clement Adjei told the court that Smith moved from one social gathering to the other and public places at the University of Ghana where he stole the personal belongings of his victims.
Between December 2015 and February 10, 2016, he said, Smith stole items from the Great Hall, churches and entertainment centres on the university campus and other places within the area.
He is also said to visit funeral grounds, weddings and other places where major events are held.
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Most of his victims, including pastors, university lecturers and students who lodged complaints with the police, reported losing their passports, laptops, mobile phones and unspecified amounts of monies.
One of the victims is reported to have lost $4,626, which was in her handbag.
Cases
Currently, the court heard that the Legon District Police is investigating four cases against Smith which were lodged by officers of the halls on the Legon campus and representatives of two churches within the area.
Smith, according to the prosecutor, was arrested at the Christ the King Cathedral in Accra.
Upon interrogation at the Legon Police Station, Smith is said to have admitted the offence but failed to lead the police to recover the stolen items.
Earlier arrest
Mr Annan told the court that Smith was first arrested in 2013 for stealing from participants in a workshop at a hotel at East Legon.
Smith is said to have paraded himself as a photographer but ended up stealing bags and other personal belongings of the participants and resource persons.
Smith was later arrested and convicted to two years’ imprisonment with hard labour.
He was released from the Nsawam Medium Security Prison in 2015, and he is said to have this time pitched camp on the University of Ghana, Legon campus.