A member of the Sunyani Catholic Church, Peter Kwame Frimpong, who stole a mobile phone when church service was in progress, has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour by the Sunyani District Court “B”.

The accused pleaded guilty to stealing the Nokia 82/10 mobile phone valued at ?2.2 million belonging to Mrs Jane Cab-Beyuo, wife of the Chief State Attorney in-charge of the Brong Ahafo Region. He was convicted on his own plea.

Prosecuting, ASP Alex Yartey-Tawiah said Frimpong, a 24-year-old professional plumber and Mrs Cab-Beyuo are both worshippers at the Christ the King Cathedral in Sunyani, the largest Catholic Church in the Brong Ahafo Region.

He said on Sunday, November 16, this year, Frimpong went to church and sat behind Mrs Cab-Beyuo. During offertory in the second mass, the woman went to give her offering leaving her handbag containing the mobile phone behind.

The prosecutor said after the church service, Mrs Cab-Beyuo after fruitlessly searching for the mobile phone suspected some mischief and, therefore, lodged a complaint with the police.

ASP Yartey-Tawiah said while the police were conducting investigations into the matter, the accused removed the chip in the mobile phone and sent it to a local radio station, Sky FM, on Monday, November 24 to announce that he picked it from the ground so the owner should collect it and give him some reward. He said when the police heard the announcement, they rushed to the radio station and arrested Frimpong to assist them in investigations.

The prosecutor said during interrogation the accused admitted the offence and confessed to stealing the mobile phone which was being kept in his bedroom. The police, therefore, escorted him to his house and a search in his bedroom uncovered the mobile phone.

Passing sentence, the Presiding Magistrate, Mr Charles Adjei Wilson, noted with concern that “while some people go to church to get the blessings of God, other people like Frimpong do so to exploit their colleagues who have toiled for their wealth”.