Court jails 25-year-old jobless man 36 months for stealing goldsmith machine

The convict, Emmanuel Bortey broke into the home of a blacksmith without permission and damaged plywood worth GHC 100,000 in a bid to steal the machine.

Upon his arrest by the police, he was charged with unlawful entry, causing unlawful damage and stealing. He pleaded guilty to all the charges, the Ghana News Agency reports.

Isaac Oheneba Kuffour who presided over the court found convicted Bortey based on his own admissions and sentenced him to 12 months in jail for unlawful entry and causing unlawful damage, as well as 36 months in prison for stealing.

Below are the details of the case as reported by the GNA:

Police Sergeant Priscilla Avorga, prosecuting, told the Court that the complainant, who was a goldsmith and the accused person, now convict, were both residents of Nungua Kpokeke and Nungua Traditional Council Area respectively.

The prosecution said on July 25, 2023, at about 1700 hours, the complainant woke up and detected that the convict had broken into his goldsmith shop in his house and made away with his jewellery manufacturing machine.

It said the complainant went out in search of the machine and visited a scrapyard in the vicinity and informed the occupants of the said scrapyard about the crime.

The prosecution said on the same day at about 0800 hours, the complainant had information from the scrapyard that the convict was seen with the complainant’s machine about to offer it for sale.

It said the complainant and his three sons rushed to the scrapyard and in an attempt to apprehend the convict, he abandoned the machine and bolted.

The prosecution said luck eluded the convict and he was arrested and handed over to the Nungua Police.

In the investigation caution statement, the prosecution said the convict admitted the offences.