On Tuesday afternoon, the New Abirem Magistrate Court granted bail to two (2) defendants accused of carrying fraudulent meters and attempting to distribute them to unwitting consumers of the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG).
Anthony Tuffour and Michael Bediako, the two accused, were each given bail in the amount of GH10,000 with two sureties, and were ordered to return to court on April 26 to continue the case.
Mr. Simon Amezugbeh, the District Manager of ECG New Abirem District, appeared in court as a first witness in the case, recalling how the accused approached him last year with the intention of selling meters to clients through his office.
Mr. Amezubeh informed the court that he was being escorted by Sgt Basilide Ninwie, the prosecutor.
He double-checked with the MP, who said he had no knowledge of such meters. He then demanded a sample, and the suspects produced one meter with the Ministry of Energy's logo. The meters failed to meet both ECG and Ministry of Energy requirements when tested.
The police and ECG Revenue Protection United were then notified. Following several engagements, the suspects were apprehended in July when they delivered two more examples of the meters they claimed to have for client installation.
After the cross-questioning, the court presided over by His Worship Isaac Agyei delayed the case till April 26 to allow a second witness in the case to testify.
On July 8, 2021, the suspects were arrested, charged in court, and given police investigation bail.