A 20-year-old electrician has been sentenced to five years imprisonment by the Adentan Circuit Court in Accra for stealing electrical cables and standing fans.
The convict, Yussif Abdulai Masawudu, pleaded guilty to all five counts of unlawful entry, unlawful damage and stealing.
Sentencing is to run concurrently.
The second accused, Paul Akuffo, an electrical appliances seller at Opera Square in Accra, was also charged with dishonestly receiving stolen items.
He pleaded not guilty and was discharged by the court, presided over by Mrs Angela Attachie.
Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo, prosecuting, told the court that the complainant, Wisdom Kwabena Posodua, is a 43-year-old electrical contractor who lives at Nanakrom in Accra, while the convict is an electrician who lives in Santeo.
The court heard that the complainant owns an electrical appliances shop at East Legon Hills, which his wife, a witness in the case, was manning.
The prosecution said the complainant reported to the police that thieves broke into the shop, stole electrical cables and standing fans worth GH¢21,800.00, and damaged roofing sheets and the ceiling valued at GH¢1650.00.
Chief Inspector Lanyo said while the investigation was ongoing, the accused broke into the complainant’s shop again through the roof.
The prosecution said that the accused again went to the shop and stole electrical cables. Sensing danger, he threw the cables away and was arrested.
Chief Insp Lanyo said the accused led the neighbours to retrieve a rice cooker, two Elbee fans and their blades, three LED panel lights, an electric iron, a pair of scissors, one drum of PVC flexible cables and an extension cord.
He told the court that the accused was taken to the Lakeside Police Station.
Chief Insp Lanyo said that the accused, in his caution statement, admitted that he broke into the complainant’s shop and stole the items.
He indicated that the accused mentioned a man named Akuffo, as the one he sold the stolen items to.
Chief Insp Lanyo further revealed that Akuffo was also arrested and in his caution statement admitted to having bought the stolen items from the convict, however, he has sold them to unknown persons.