The Asokwa Circuit Court has handed down a 20-year prison sentence to the house help who allegedly murdered his employer in Sokoban, Kumasi according to a new report by StarrFM.
The jail sentence will be served concurrently by John Alister, who was earlier convicted of two charges of stealing. The accused was hired as a hotel receptionist in Bantama, Kumasi, in 2022 after replying to an advertisement, claims the prosecution, which is being led by ASP Stephen Ofori.
After a month, he quit his job, but when he returned in July, his boss permitted him to resume work because of their prior working relationship. The complainant gave the accused her Infinix Note 8 smartphone on August 6, 2023, and asked him to make certain alterations.
However, he took advantage of the situation and absconded with the phone. He also used a mobile app to withdraw an amount of GHC 167,660.09 from the complainant’s ABSA Bank account. A formal complaint was lodged with the police, leading to the arrest of the accused in Accra.
Presiding over the case, Judge Vida Achiaa Yeboah acknowledged the rising trend of crime among the youth and described Alister’s actions as premeditated. The judge also took into account the accused’s guilty plea, which saved the court’s time.
Consequently, Alister was sentenced to 20 years for the first count of stealing the mobile phone valued at GHC 4,000 and 20 years for the second count of stealing GHC 167,666 from the complainant’s bank account using the mobile app.
The sentences will be served concurrently. Upon hearing the court’s verdict, Alister broke down in tears and pleaded for leniency, but his request was denied. He is scheduled to appear before the Asokore Mampong District Court for the third time on October 17, 2023, to face murder charges alongside his accomplice, 27-year-old driver James Anokye.
