The Asokwa Circuit Court has issued a 20-year prison sentence to the main suspect involved in the murder of a 35-year-old businesswoman in Sokoban, as reported by citinewsroom.com.
However, it is important to clarify that this sentencing pertains to a separate case in which the individual was found guilty of stealing a mobile phone and an amount of GHC 167,666.
The court convicted the suspect on two counts of theft after being charged with the unlawful appropriation of a mobile phone valued at four thousand Ghana cedis and the misappropriation of GHC 167,666 in cash, which belonged to the complainant, Gloria Morrison.
Gloria Morrison, a businesswoman residing in Bantama within the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly of the Ashanti region, was the victim in this case.
Police investigations revealed that the suspect, identified as Allister John, had previously worked alongside the complainant at a Bantama hotel as a receptionist in 2022.
He left his position but returned to the establishment in July 2023.
Upon his reemployment at the hotel, Gloria Morrison requested Allister John’s assistance in adjusting her mobile phone’s settings.
However, instead of providing the requested help, he absconded with the phone. Subsequently, he gained access to the phone and utilized its mobile app to withdraw the sum of GHC 167,666 from the complainant’s bank account.
During the sentencing proceedings at the Asokwa Circuit Court on Friday, October 6th, the court took several factors into account. Notably, it acknowledged that the convict had no previous convictions at the time of sentencing.
Her Honor, Vida Yeboah, the presiding judge, also considered the convict’s age and the fact that he admitted to the charges, thereby saving the court’s time.
For the first count of stealing, involving the phone valued at GHC 4,000, Allister John received a 20-year prison sentence.
Additionally, he was sentenced to 20 years for the second count of stealing, related to the GHC 167,666 he withdrew from the complainant’s bank account using the mobile app. Both sentences are to be served concurrently.
During the court proceedings, the convict, Allister John, broke into tears, knelt down, and implored the court to reconsider the sentencing.
However, the court firmly stated that the ruling had already been rendered, and no further adjustments could be made.
Consequently, he was escorted out of the courtroom.