Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 23 June 2005

Source: GNA

Two jailed eight years for stealing computers

Cape Coast, June 23, GNA - Two men who defied the heavy security presence at the Elmina Beach Resort and succeeded in stealing two flat screen computers and a Compaq system unit valued at 25 million cedis, were on Thursday sentenced to a total of eight years imprisonment by a circuit court at Cape Coast.

Emmanuel Afesi, alias Mawuli who works at the Resort as a bar tender and his friend John Sackey an apprentice mason both residents of Anomabu, pleaded guilty to unlawful entry and stealing and were sentenced to four years imprisonment each.

Chief inspector Augustine Amonoo prosecuting, told the court, presided over by Mr Mustapha Logoh that last Sunday, the lady who works at the business centre of the Resort came to work to detect that two computers and a Compaq unit system were missing and she reported the matter to the General Manager.

He said the General Manager made his own enquiries and it came out that Afesi had a visitor who left the Resort with a bag the previous day and upon questioning, it came out that Afesi who lived with Sackey in the same house, planned with him and succeeded in stealing the computers and afterwards escorted him through the main gates of the Resort undetected.

Chief inspector Augustine Amonoo said when Afesi was arrested, he mentioned Sackey as his accomplice and led the police to Sackey's room to retrieve the items.

Mr Logoh expressed dismay that he had to send such young men to prison and was unhappy that some people want to be rich quick through any available means.