An Accra High Court has recently granted bail to one of the four individuals arrested in connection with the stolen laptops and Biometric Voter Registration (BVR) kits from the Electoral Commission.
Joseph Blankson Adumadzie, a Data Base Administrator, was the beneficiary of the bail granted by the High Court last week.
However, the remaining three accused individuals – Philip Tettey, a casual worker; Benjamin Fienyi, a security personnel; and Clifford Yeboah, a student – were remanded into custody by the Dansoman Circuit Court.
During the recent court proceedings at the Dansoman Circuit Court, Clifford Yeboah’s lawyer reiterated the request for bail on behalf of his client, stating that Yeboah had suffered academic consequences due to the case. The defense counsel highlighted the disparity between Adumadzie’s bail and the continued remand of the other accused individuals, arguing for Yeboah’s release based on the value of the items found in his possession not exceeding GHC2,000.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder, expressed surprise at the High Court’s decision to grant bail to one of the accused persons, emphasizing the national significance of the case. Chief Inspector Wonder opposed the granting of bail by the Circuit Court, citing the importance of retrieving the stolen Dell Laptop Computers containing crucial bio data and information.
The court, presided over by Halima Abdul El Lawal Basit, has adjourned the case to May 6, 2024. The accused individuals, Philip Tetteh, Benjamin Fienyi, Joseph Blankson Adamadze, and Clifford Yeboah, face charges of conspiracy to steal and stealing, with Yeboah specifically charged with dishonestly receiving the equipment. All the accused persons have denied the charges brought against them.
The prosecution disclosed that the complaint was lodged by EC officials after the detection of the stolen laptops during a routine maintenance exercise on the BVR kits. Following investigations, the accused individuals were arrested, and some of the stolen items were recovered from them. The prosecution revealed that Fienyi and Adamadze had planned the theft of printers during a relocation exercise by the EC in March 2023.
The court was informed that Philip Tetteh had stolen laptops and given them to Yeboah for repair, while Blankson was accused of stealing an HP Printer and giving it to Fienyi. The prosecution also mentioned that Fienyi had taken possession of three BVD printer chargers.
