A 19-year-old female mobile money vendor in Accra who was arrested for faking her kidnap has been handed a 12-month jail term by the Adjabeng District Court.
Though Beatrice Naa Lamley Kitson Mills pleaded not guilty to the offence of publication of false news, she was at the end of the trial found guilty, and sentenced to serve as a deterrent to persons engaged in making false kidnapping claims.
Police prosecutors say Naa Lamley on June 20 conspired with three others to falsely claim she has been kidnapped and a 10,000-cedi ransom was demanded from her family.
A report was subsequently made to the James Town Police whose investigations led to the arrest of Naa Lamley from her hideout two weeks later, at Osu in Accra.
On the back of the successful prosecution, the Police have cautioned the public against making such false kidnapping claims, which it said, “is becoming a threat to the fight against the menaceâ€.
A statement issued by the head of Accra Region Police Public Affairs, DSP Efia Tenge yesterday July 31, 2019, warned persons with similar intentions to commit such “malicious acts†with the view to demanding ransom or cause fear and panic to abort.
“Like-minded persons are advised to take cures from this case and advise themselves or face the full rigors the law†the statement advised.
Meanwhile, it said the police will continue to fight the kidnapping menace “unabatedâ€. It asked the public to be vigilant and report suspicious characters.
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