Kumasi, April 9, GNA - A Kumasi circuit Court has sentenced Kofi Mawuli, a carpenter, to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour for stealing items worth over 18 million cedis and tried to cover it with arson.

The 24-year-old carpenter pleaded guilty to the charges of unlawful entry, stealing and arson. Assistant Superintendent of Police Regina Addo-Yobo told the court that Mawuli was a personal carpenter of the complainant, Mr Henry Wireko Brobbey.

She said on March 5, the convict took advantage of Mr Brobbey's absence and entered his house at Asuobonteng in Kumasi and made away with electrical gadgets and other personal belongings. Mawuli set the house ablaze using candle but unknown to him Mr Brobbey's neighbour, who was watching from his house, alerted him in Accra and he called the Fire Service.

But the fire personnel could not control the fire and the house together with the items worth over 200 million cedis was burnt. Mawuli was arrested at his hideout the following day and in his caution statement admitted the offence.