Crime

2 in court for stealing $392,113 steel products

Two Chinese have appeared before the Circuit Court, in Accra, for allegedly stealing 10 containers of steel products valued at $392,113.15, belonging to Awarriors Limited, Ghana.

Yi Zheng Annie, aka Shen Na, a businesswoman, and Lu Xuefeng, an architect, allegedly presented an invoice of GH¢270,000 to the company covering money required for clearing 10 containers of steel products, at Tema Port.

The two, after collecting the money, informed officials of the company that the products had been confiscated by National Security for auctioning, and presented a fake auction slip to the company as evidence.

Police investigations revealed accused with the assistance of others, now at large, cleared the containers. Annie and Xuefeng have been jointly charged with conspiracy to commit crime and stealing.

They have denied the charges and the court presided over by Mrs Ellen OfeiAyehgranted them GH¢3million bail with three sureties each to be justified.

The sureties are to be gainfully employed, and accused are to deposit their passports at the Registry of the court. Accused were directed to report to the police every Tuesday and Thursday.

The court ordered prosecution to file disclosures within 28 days and adjourned the case to September 9.

Meanwhile, Annie had refunded GH¢100,000 to the complainant when the case was called.

Chief Inspector Isaac Anquandah, prosecuting, said that the complainant is the Administrative Manager of Awarriors Limited, Ghana, and accused resides in Accra.

The court heard that Awarriors Company imported 10 20-footer containers of steel products, valued at $392, 113.15, (GH¢3,136, 960) from China to Ghana.

Chief InspAnquandahsaid the company handed the bill of lading to Annie, who was a majority shareholder of El-Vice International Company Limited, Ghana, for the clearing of the containers at the Tema Port.

Prosecution said Annie gave an invoice covering GH¢270,000 to the complainant’s company to clear the products.

The court heard that complainant paid GH¢270,000 to Annie to enable her clear the goods.

Chief InspAnquandahsaid Annie told the complainant that the steel products had been confiscated by National Security,and she needed time to rectify the challenge.

Prosecution said Annie later presented an auction slip to the complainant,indicating that the products had been auctioned by the State.

According to Chief InspAnquandah, checks at TemaPort revealed that the auction slip was forged by Annie.

The court heard that when Annie was arrested, she said Xuefeng gave her the auction slip, and Xuefeng was also grabbed at the Tema Port.

The court heard that Xuefengsaid he received the Bill of Lading from Annie.

Chief Insp Anquandah said Xuefeng also said that the Bill of Lading was given to a Nigerian for a ransom of GHc270,000 and that he (Xuefeng)  forged the auction slip.

Prosecution said police investigations showed that Maximum Logistics Limited cleared the containers from Tema Port with the assistance of accused and others at large. – GNA

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