Sixty-four out of 5000 HP Probook laptops procured by the Ghana Government for national identification registering purposes had allegedly been stolen by an employee of the National Identification Authority (NIA).

The alleged stolen laptops were reported to the police by one Emmanuel Selby, Head of Projects at the Information Management System under the NIA.

Although the name of the purported employee was not stated in the prosecution’s brief facts, two persons – Frank Nketiah and Victor Maduka- had be put before an Accra Circuit Court fir reportedly buying some of the stolen laptops.

The Circuit Court presided over by His Honour Emmanuel Essandoh yesterday was told that in October 2019, the government of Ghana procured over 5000 HP Probook laptop computers from Denmark for the NIA to use them to issue ECOWAS Cards to Ghanaians.  

However, it was found in the month of February 2020 that 64 of the laptops were stolen from the NIA premises.

Investigations into the case revealed that one of the employees working under the complainant Mr Selby, stole the laptops and disposed fifteen of them at Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra but could not lead the police to the dishonestly receivers.

On June 14, 2020, seven of the stolen laptops were traced to a shop at Burma Camp in Accra, for which the serial numbers were scanned and were discovered to be part of the laptops procured for NIA.

Investigation further revealed that in March, Frank received and bargained the price of twelve HP Probook laptops from two others, now at large and kept them.

Frank then contacted Victor who then purchased the laptops each at a price of GH1, 500.00. Meanwhile, during the lockdown, which some Nigerian businessmen at Kwame Nkrumah Circle shops locked up, which also affected Victor.

What blow their cover was that, Victor also gave the laptops to a friend to sell for him where the supervisor of the shop at Burma Camp bought the retrieved ones and he was issued with receipt.

 Frank and victor admitted the offences in their respective caution statements to the police and after investigations, they were accordingly charged with offences and put before this honourable court but both pleaded not guilty.

Frank Nketiah is a trader and the first accused (A1) and Victor Maduka, A2, is a businessman and both reside at Tetegu and Lapaz in Accra respectively.

The court declined their legal counsels plea for bail and adjourned to June 16.

By Akutu Dede Adimer