This article is from page 8 of the 2014-11-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 8 JPG
A GHANIAN national who collected social welfare payments totalling € 4,160 for a friend who had left the country has escaped a jail sentence. At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Judge Patrick Durcan said he would impose a community service order on Prince Kuffor (31). Judge Durcan said the option of imposing a maximum sentence of two years in prison, less allowances, was open to him.
However the judge said he did not see why the Irish people and State “should be further indebted to tune of € 1,500 or € 1,600 a week to keep Prince Kuffor in the comfort of one of our prisons”.
Mr Kuffor, with an address at Abbey Court, Ennis, was charged with 26 counts of dishonestly by deception inducing Tony Reddan to pay out 26 separate payments of € 160 by using a social welfare card in the name of Alan Blaise Rukundo.
The offences occurred at Sixmilebridge Post Off ce between Decem ber, 2013, and May 2014.
Inspector Tom Kennedy told Judge Patrick Durcan the charges were replicas of each other and could be treated as one offence. He told the court the accused went to the Post Off ce in Sixmilebridge over the course of 26 weeks to claim social welfare payments for a man named Alan Blaise Rukundo. Insp Kennedy said Mr Kuffor, a father of two, was also claiming his own social welfare payment in Ennis. “Mr Rukundo had left the jurisdiction for some time but had stayed on the books here,” he added. Insp Kennedy said, “Mr Kuffor was benef ting to the tune of € 50 a week for acting as agent for Mr Rukundo.” The court heard the Department of Social Protection is now taking a € 100 a week from Mr Kuffor’s social welfare payment. A total of € 500 has so far been paid back.
Defence solicitor Stiofán Fitzpatrick told the court, Mr Kuffor was approached by Mr Rukundo who said his wife was sick and he had to go with her to Italy for treatment.
Mr Rukondo asked Mr Kuffor to collect his social welfare.
Mr Fitzpatrick said his client believed he was not doing any wrong, particularly as Mr Rukundo came back at regular intervals to sign on.
He said the € 50 payment was to cover Mr Kuffor’s travelling expenses from Ennis to Sixmilebridge.
He said Mr Kuffor, who has resi- dency in Ireland, realised something was seriously wrong when he was approached by gardaí in June.
Judge Durcan said this was “highly organised criminal activity, Inspector, very well organised”. He said Ireland had always been a welcoming country but Mr Kuffor “has completely and f agrantly abused that welcome”.
Having regard to Mr Kuffor’s previous good record, Judge Durcan said he would impose a community sentence order if the accused is suitable for such work. The case was adjourned to December 17 for a pre sentence probation report.