A Kumasi Circuit Court has sentenced a 21-year-old carpenter to 12 years imprisonment in hard labour for stealing £1,700.00 and a desktop computer.

Ernest Boamah pleaded guilty to charges of causing unlawful damage, unlawful entry and stealing.

Police Inspector Kwabena Oduro Boateng told the court presided over by Justice William Boampong that the complainant, Catherine Afrifa, is a trader at Dr. Mensah near the Kumasi Central Market, whilst Boamah lives at Adum.

He said on April 23, at about 0830 hours, she received information that her store had been broken into. she rushed there and saw that the locks and glass doors had been destroyed.

Inspector Oduro said when she entered the store, she also discovered that a safe containing her £1,700.00 in £50 notes had been breached and the money stolen, and her flat screen dell desktop computer worth GH¢400.00 was also missing.

He said the complainant decided to conduct her own investigations and got information that the convict had been seen carrying on him some pound sterling, and a report was made to the police who arrested Boamah.

Inspector Oduro said a body search conducted on him uncovered an amount of £500 concealed in his underpants.

In his caution statement, Boamah admitted stealing the money and mentioned the names of some people he claimed he had given some of the stolen money who are yet to be arrested.**