A 33-year-old driver, Anthony Atsu Godbless, has been remanded into police custody by the Dansoman Circuit Court for allegedly attempting to steal a car he acquired through a work-and-pay agreement and for damaging its tracking device.
The accused, who resides at Kasoa, was arraigned before Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit on three counts: attempt to commit crime to wit stealing, stealing, and causing unlawful damage.
During proceedings, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges of attempted stealing and stealing but entered a plea of guilty with explanation for the charge of causing unlawful damage.
The court, upon reviewing his explanation, ruled that it was consistent with a guilty plea and accordingly convicted him on that count.
According to Chief Inspector Portia Nuarko, who led the prosecution, the complainant, Joshua Agbenorlevi, is the General Manager of Drive Track Limited, a car rental and work-and-pay business based in Dansoman.
In November 2024, the accused entered into an agreement with the complainant to operate a Nissan Note saloon car, with registration number GW 9160-24, valued at GH₵240,000.00, payable over 51 months.
The vehicle was in the possession of the accused until June 30, 2025, when the complainant noticed that the car’s tracking system had been disabled.
Repeated attempts to reach the accused proved futile, as his phone was switched off and his whereabouts unknown.
Following a report lodged at the Dansoman Police Station on June 28, investigators received intelligence that the accused was planning to cross the border into Togo to sell the vehicle.
Further investigations revealed that he had negotiated with two undercover police officers to sell the car for GH₵80,000.00.
With assistance from the Aflao Police, the accused was apprehended and the car retrieved. Upon inspection, it was confirmed that the tracking device had been intentionally destroyed, resulting in damage estimated at GH₵1,000.00.
The accused was subsequently charged and arraigned before the court.
Following his plea, the court remanded him into police custody and ordered the prosecution to file all necessary disclosures and witness statements ahead of a case management conference.
The matter has been adjourned to July 16, 2025, for continuation.
