Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 18 February 2020

Source: GNA

Two young men go to jail for theft

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Two young men from Yiwabra in the Aowin Municipality who stole a motorbike and sold it for GHc2,800.00 have been sentenced to a total of 36 months imprisonment by the Enchi District Magistrate court.

Francis Abeiku Quaicoe, a 27 year-old mason would serve 24 months while his accomplice Amos Brentu alias Bulleti, 25 and unemployed would serve 12 months.

They pleaded not guilty to the counts of stealing and unlawful entry.

Bernard Quaicoe alias K2, 28, who is facing the similar charges jumped bail and the court presided over by Mr Eric Baah Boateng issued a warrant for his arrest.

The facts of the case as presented by Detective Police Inspector Joseph Kwadwo Agyare was that, the complainant is a farmer who lives in the same area with Francis and Amos at Yiwabra, while Bernard resides at Dadieso in the Suaman District.

He said on November 3, 2019, at about 0230 hours at Yiwabra, Francis and Bernard who are friends sneaked into the complainant’s room and stole his 300.00 Ghana cedis and a Haojin motorbike which was then parked in his compound.

The Prosecution said the two took the motorbike to Amos in Dadieso, who in turn sold it to one Yaw Awani, a motor mechanic at a cost of 2,800.00 Ghana cedis.

He said Awani made an initial payment of GHc 1,800 Ghana cedis and promised to make available the remaining balance of GHc1,000 on November 8, 2019.

He said Francis then gave Bernard 320.00 Ghana cedis to be added to the 300.00 Ghana cedis they allegedly stole earlier from the complainant as his share.

The Prosecution said Francis was later arrested following a tip-off and he led the police to Dadieso and identified Awani as the one who bought the motorbike of which he was nabbed for questioning.

Inspector Agyare said Francis mentioned Bernard and Amos as his accomplices but Bernard denied the offence during investigation.

He said during the arrest, Amos struggled with the duty bearers and escaped with handcuffs on one hand, but on November 16, same year, Awani, who was being prosecuted at the same court for dishonestly receiving, managed to apprehend Amos without the handcuffs and handed him over to the Police.

The prosecution said Amos later led the police to where he hid the damaged handcuffs and it was retrieved.