The Donkorkrom Magistrate Court presided over by His Worship Augustine Akus-Am has sentenced an ex-convict, to six months in prison for impersonating as a staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana Limited (ECG) to defraud customers of the company.

The accused, Benjamin Amaoko, will serve his sentence with hard labour. In court, he pleaded guilty to defrauding by false pretence.

However, a suspected accomplice, Michael Aledzi, a motorbike operator, pleaded not guilty. He has been remanded in police custody to reappear on March 15, 2022.

Prosecutor Superintendent Samuel Entsua-Annan told the court that, on February 14, Mr Amoako went to a house at Bruben, near Donkorkrom in the Afram Plains North District, posing as an ECG disconnector.

The complainant and resident of Brubeng then issued an amount of GH¢200 to the accused to offset an outstanding payment and prevent him from disconnecting the power supply. The accuse was to settle the bill and produce a receipt at a later date.

According to the prosecutor, Mr Amoako later resurfaced in Bruben with an electricity bill but without proper payment receipt. The situation brought about a misunderstanding between the complainant and the accused person, which attracted the attention of residents.

The Assemblymember of the area consequently called the police to arrest Amoako and his accomplice.

His accomplice Aledzi, managed to escape but was later arrested by the police.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Region Public Relations Officer of ECG, Mr. Emmanuel Halm, has advised the general public to desist from making payments to disconnectors and meter readers, who visit their house for special exercises.

According to him, such people are not mandated to collect cash on behalf of the company.

Mr. Halm also advised customers to demand an official receipt on any payment made to the company.