A 20-year old commercial motorbike rider, also known as Okada, Issah Akuffo, has been arraigned for possession of a stolen electricity meter. The accused was charged with another offence of internationally interfering or knowingly allowing interference with the supplier’s distribution system, meters or any equipment.
The accused pleaded not guilty on both counts and has been granted bail in the sum of GH¢50,000 with two sureties.
The court, presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah, adjourned the case to June 30, 2023 for continuation.
The court was told by the General Manager of Prosecution of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Paul Assibi Abariga, that the complainant in the case was Gideon Asare Ampofo, Drywall installer and resident of Amasaman.
He said somewhere in the year 2020, the complainant needed an ECG meter for his house at Amasaman, and, therefore, contact one Amos Kwaku Duah, an electrician currently at large, for assistance.
Amos allegedly charged the complainant and took cash in the sum of GH¢400.00 and installed meter number 1704P32107615 for him. However, when the power credit got finished and the complainant went to an ECG vendor to purchase more, he was told the meter recharge card was invalid.
Amos told the complainant that the card was valid, but the challenge was due to the ECG network system failure. Amos then sent someone who used a different ECG prepaid card to recharge the meter for him at a cost of GH¢100.00. A practice not approved by the company.
Amos allegedly assigned Issah and he had been recharging the ECG power for the complainant at a cost ranging from GH¢50 to GH¢100.00 respectively.
The complainant reported the matter to the ECG Project Office and Issah was later arrested at the complainant’s house while about recharging the meter on June 14, 2023.
The case was referred to the ECG investigation unit for investigation.
