Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 4 April 2006

Source: GNA

Ex-convict returns to jail for eight years for stealing

Juaso (Ash), April 4, GNA - Barely one month after serving a prison term, Yaw Mensah is heading back to prison to serve an eight-year term in hard labour for unlawful entry and stealing.

The Juaso circuit court, presided over by Mr Jacob B. Boon, sent him back to prison after he pleaded guilty to the charges. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) A.S. Haruna of the Agogo police told the court that the complainant, one Madam Ataa Bonsu, a trader and relative of Mensah, both lived in the same house. He said on March 19, this year, while the complainant was in the bathroom, the accused sneaked into her room and took one of her spare keys.

The next day, the prosecution said, Mensah entered the complainant's room with the key he stole the previous day when the complainant left the house to the market. ASP Haruna said the accused stole 1.9 million cedis from the complainant's wardrobe.

He said the complainant detected the theft when she returned to the house in the evening and immediately reported the case to the Agogo police who arrested Mensah on suspicion. The accused, the prosecution said, confessed during interrogation that he stole the money.