Ex-convict goes back for 14 years

Asamankese, Sept. 28, GNA - Barely four months after his release from prison where he served an unspecified term, Danlade Ibrahim has been sent back to serve a total of 14 years.

Ibrahim was convicted by the Asamankese Circuit Court and sentenced to seven years in prison for stealing and another seven for being in possession of instruments adapted for unlawful purposes. He pleaded guilty to both charges.

Detective Inspector Rita Narh told the court, presided over by Mr S.S. Appiah, that Ibrahim, who lives in Accra, travelled to Suhum ostensibly to visit the sister.

On the night of September 19, the prosecutor said Mr Alex Wiafe and Mr Kwame Johnson parked their vehicles in their houses and went to bed. But in the early hours of September 20, Ibrahim broke into the vehicles and stole a number of items.

He stole from Wiafe's car two parking lights valued at 300,000 cedis and one 80,000 cedis Phillips car key and car tape valued at 80,000 cedis. He also stole a set of spanners costing 35,000 cedis from Mr Johnson's car.

At about 2 a.m., Ibrahim sought to board a vehicle on the Suhum-Accra road in an attempt to send the items to Accra. A Suhum-based driver who saw Ibrahim carrying the bag became suspicious and drove him to the Suhum police station.

A search conducted on Ibrahim led to the discovery of the items but he could not offer any tangible explanation as to how he came by them. In the morning when Mr Wiafe and Mr Johnson went to the police station to lodge a report, they found the accused with the items.

Earlier that same night, Ibrahim, who was armed with a spanner, screwdriver, iron bar, pestle and torchlight, had attempted to steal from the room of one Mr Abednego Sefa. But when he raised the alarm and gave Ibrahim a hot chase, the accused jumped into the Suhum River and fled, leaving behind the instruments.

When Mr Sefa went to the police station the following morning to report the case, the accused spotted him and called him by his name. Mr Sefa then identified him as the one who broke into his room and attempted to steal.

Detective Inspector Narh drew the attention of the court to the fact that Ibrahim had two previous convictions for stealing and burglary and that he came out of prison only four months ago.

Mr Appiah commended the driver o caused the arrest of the accused and asked all drivers to assist in apprehending thieves who might ask for their services.

The judge described Ibrahim as a hardened criminal who would not hesitate even to kill when confronted and said there was, therefore, the need to keep him away from society for a long time. When sentence was pronounced, Ibrahim broke down in tears.