Mobile phone thief handed one-year jail term

The Nkawie Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Michael Johnson Abbey, has sentenced a 26-year-old farmer to one-year imprisonment for stealing.

Kwame Sango pleaded guilty and was sentenced on his plea.

Sango’s accomplice, Francis Freku, 29, a gas cooker repairer, pleaded not guilty to dishonestly receiving, and was granted GH¢20, 000.00 bail with two sureties to justify.

He will reappear on June 17, this year.

Police Detective Inspector Anthony Acheampong told the court that the complainant, Rashid Gambo, was a miner at the Mpasatia Community Mine Site in the Atwima-Mponua District of the Ashanti Region.

The court heard that about three weeks ago, the complainant woke up at about 0530 hours and detected the theft of his Techno mobile phone valued at GH¢700.00.

The prosecutor said police investigations established that the said phone was stolen from the pocket of the complainant.

He said the case was initially reported to the Security Unit of the Mpasatia Community Mine Site, which commenced an internal investigation into the issue.

Police Detective Acheampong said an intelligence report established that Sango was the prime suspect in the case, adding that the security on May 21, this year, spotted the convict and confronted him.

Based on the information gathered, he said, the convict was apprehended.

The prosecutor said during interrogation Sango admitted to stealing the phone and was, therefore, sent to the Nkawie police station.

The court was told that the convict, in his caution statement, admitted stealing the handset, and revealed that he had sold it to Freku at the cost of GH¢350.00

This would lead to the arrest of the accomplice, the prosecutor stated.

Source: GNA