Akim Swedru, 15 July,

The Akim Swedru circuit court has sentenced two teenages to 12 years immprisonment with hard labour for conspiracy, unlawful entry and stealing. Kwabena Essel and Kwabena Acquah, both 19 pleaded guilty to the charges. Police Chief Inspector P. K. Akakpa, told the court presided over by Mr. M.K. Woanya that the accused who hail from Agona Swedru, arrived at Akim Oda on June eight and spent the night at a petrol filling station. The next day, they posed as painters and told a housewife in a bungalow that her husband had instructed them to paint the rooms but the woman who became suspicious turned them away. Chief Inspector Akape said they then went to another bungalow nearby occupied by Mr Ebenezer Obuobi, Asistant District Manager of the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation. In the absence of the occupants, they used a crowbar to force the door open, entered the bedroom and stole personal effects valued at more than five million cedis and bolted. The prosecution said on June 11, they attempted to break into another house but a small boy saw them and raised the alarm and they were arrested after a hot chase. gri