Three labourers of a Chinese firm working on a new hospital project for government at Twifo Praso in the Central Region have been jailed 24 months for stealing copper pipes.

Jeff Otoo, 22 years; Emmanuel Amoah also 22 and Daniel Quansah 23 years were said to have on May 3 at about 7:45am, removed copper pipes, which were fixed on the walls of the Obstetrics and Gynaecological building of the hospital.

According to police prosecutors, the three who are labourers of China Geo Engineering Co-operation Ltd cut the pipes into 43 pieces and heaped them in a bag.

The material engineer of the company together with the resident engineer were on patrol duties at about 12:30pm the same day when they spotted Amoah and Otoo wandering about in the building.

Though when questioned as to what they were doing there at the time, they could not give tangible reasons, they were made to go.

The engineers “later went to the scene and saw that the two suspects had caused damage to the copper pipes which were fixed on the wall and cut same into pieces heaped same in a bag,” the prosecutor told the Twifo Praso Magistrate Court Friday.

The two were arrested and during interrogation mentioned Quansah as an accomplice. He was also arrested.

On Friday, they were arraigned on three counts of causing damage, conspiracy and stealing before the Magistrate Mark Biboro.

They pleaded guilty to the charges and were accordingly sentenced to 24 months imprisonment on causing damage, 12 months each for conspiracy and stealing.