Five before High Court for stealing fuel, burning fuel tanker

Five individuals have been brought before the Accra High Court suspected of stealing fuel  amounting to GH¢834,300 owned by A-Bek Company Limited. Four of the individuals charged, Isaac Donkor, Abdellah Dauda a driver’s mate, Bashiru Mohammed, all drivers, and Yaw Gerald a transporter and businessman, made an appearance.

Justice Kizita Naa Koowa Quarshie, the presiding judge, issued a warrant for arrest of Alhaji Iddrisu, the first accused person, who is also a driver for not appearing before the court.

Although Alhaji Iddrisu was absent, the court went ahead to issue the bench warrant. Two of their partners in crime who were named as as one Alhaji and Kofi Adu, are currently wanted by the authorities.

The persons charged with the crime , except Yaw Gerald, are said to have met in Kasse, near Ahodwo in the Ashanti region and  colluded to sell diesel to Gerald  instead of delivering it to BOST Depot at Buipe. They also planned to fake an accident which involved driving the tanker off the road and intentionally setting fire to destroy it to conceal evidence.

Iddrisu, Mohammed aka Gambo, Donkor, one Alhaji and Kofi Adu have been charged with agreement to commit crime namely stealing 54,000 liters of diesel valued at GH¢834,300. Dauda and Alhaji Iddrisu have been formally charged with stealing the fuel. Alhaji Iddrisu, Donkor, Mohammed, One Alhaji and Kofi Adu are facing another charge of agreement to causing damage to a DAF Tanker Trailer with registration number GN 9587-13, worth GH¢730,000.

Mohammed has been charged again for causing damage to the Tanker Trailer by setting it on fire.

The accused persons with the exception of Alhaji Iddrisu, One Alhaji and Kofi Adu have denied the charges. The Court has confessed to the crimes of the four accused persons present in court to bail in the sum of GH¢300,000 with two security guarantors each.

The Court ordered that the security guarantors  provide justification same as the bail sum with moveable or immovable property. In Addition, security guarantors are to deposit their valid Identity Cards at the registry of the Court.

The charged persons on bail were to appear at the police station on Tuesdays of every month.

The Presecution maintains that the Nana Ampong Asare, the complainant works with A-Bek Company Limited, a fuel transporting company.

For the past two years, Prosecution said the complainant handed over one of the company’s DAF Trailer Tankers with registration number GN-9587-13 to Alhaji Iddrisu, Mohammed and Donkor, who are drivers staying at Ofinso, Abuakwa and Tech, in their individual capacities to work with. Prosecution said the tanker takes on large amount of fuel at Tema BOST and Alhaji Iddrisu transport same to various BOST depots within the country.

Prosecution said proceedingto that the accused persons with the exception of Dauda and Gerald met at Kasse, near Ahodwo in the Ashanti Region and agreed to sell the fuel to Gerald instead of delivering it to the BOST depot at Buipe. “They planned to stage an accident which involved driving the tanker off the road and burning it, to cover up their tracks.”

According to prosecution, Gerald agreed to buy the fuel at GH¢13 instead of GH¢15.27 per liter.

On December 30, 2024, they went and sold 40,500 liters of fuel to Gerald at a cost of GH¢526,500. The individuals charged went ahead to Buipe and, reaching Bono Manso in the Savanah Region, Mohammed who was then driving, turned sharply  into a cashew farm after which Mohammed set the DAF Trailer Tanker on fire and reported it as an accident to conceal evidence of their illegal activities.

Prosecution said the complainant has suspicious of misconduct and reported the case to the Police and five of the accused persons were arrested.

Prosecution expressed that investigations showed that Alhaji Iddrisu received GH¢200,000 for which purchased an unregistered Toyota Camry at GH¢150,000 out of it. Again, prosecution said Iddrisu purchased 85 inches Samsung TV set and home theatre sound system.

Regarding Donkor, the prosecution said he received GH¢50,000 for which he used it for buying a Toyota Vitz Taxicab with registration number GE3539-20. The Court realized that Mohammed received part of GH¢80,000. Dauda had GH¢70,000 and he also bought a Toyota Matiz with registration number AS 4967-21

One Alhaji and Kofi Adu, who are at large, had GH¢63,250 each. According to prosecution, the vehicles have been retrieved. Regarding Gerald, prosecution said, provided a refund GH¢300,000 to the complainant and Mohammed also provided a refund of GH¢35,000 and sent the 85 inches TV set to the complainant.

The case has been postponed to April 14, 2025

SOURCE: GNA