A 26-year-old taxi driver has appeared before a Circuit Court in Accra for allegedly stealing a Hyundai 110 vehicle valued at GH₵75,000.

Kofi Sakyi, also known as Isaac or Mosquito, pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing.

The court presided over by Mr Isaac Addo remanded Sakyi into Police custody to reappear on February 27, 2024.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer, said the complainant, Fatima Zara Ali, is a businesswoman residing in Accra New Town.

Chief Inspector Lawer said Sakyi also resides in the same area as the complainant.

In September 2023, Sakyi approached the complainant who owns a Hyundai 110 taxi with registration number GS 5447-22 valued at GH₵75,000.

The prosecution said Sakyi told the complainant that he wanted to work because he was unemployed.

According to the prosecutor, the complainant took pity on Sakyi and gave him the keys to the vehicle so he could begin working.

The prosecution said the complainant assigned Sakyi the tasked of sending and collecting her child from school in Haatso.

On January 21, 2024, the complainant was expecting Sakyi to take her daughter to school, but he did not show up.

When the complainant contacted Sakyi, he told her that the vehicle had developed a mechanical fault, and he was fixing it.

The prosecution said that because Sakyi's phone was turned off, the complainant found another way to collect her child from school.

The prosecutor said Sakyi never showed up, and the complainant had no idea where he or the vehicle were.

The complainant and her brothers searched for Sakyi without success, therefore a report was filed with the police on January 225, 2024.

The prosecution said the police obtained intelligence that Sakyi was hiding in Agona Kwanyako, Central Region.

On January 31, 2024, investigations were extended to Agona Kwanyako. However, it was discovered that the accused had a hint of the police and went to Takoradi.

On February 5, 2024, Sakyi was arrested at Agona Swedru based on intelligence.

Sakyi denied the offence in his caution statement, claiming he was attacked at Kwame Nkrumah Circle by two unknown individuals who requested him to take them to North Kaneshie. Sakyi led the Police to the scene but could not identify the exact location of the alleged incident.