Mobile phone thief weeps, pleads for leniency

Kade, Dec. 21 GNA - Kwaku Kwarteng, a barber, who stole a teacher’s mobile phone when he went to his house for a hair-cut, in tears, pleaded with the Kade District Magistrate’s Court to deal leniently with him to enable him to go to Church for prayers and repentance.

The Magistrate, Mr Abdul Majid Illiasu, considering the facts that the phone had been returned to the owner by Kwarteng’s uncle and that he was a first offender having been in a lawful custody for five days, convicted him to a bond of good behaviour for nine months or in default serve six months in prison in hard labour.

Kwarteng was also ordered to pay the complainant, Evans Akpalu, GH¢60.00 for any inconvenience that might have caused him.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector, John Yaw Cromwell, said on November 9th that the complainant was in the house at Pramkese marking students’ examination papers when he spotted Kwarteng on a bicycle going round to have people’s hair cut.

He said the complainant invited Kwarteng to his house to have his hair shave after which he went into his room to pick money to pay him for his services.

Later after Kwarteng had left and the complainant was looking for his Nokia phone to call a friend he could not find it.

The prosecutor said the complainant collected a friend’s mobile phone to call his line but it was switched off.

He said on November 11, the complainant, who strongly suspected that Kwarteng might have stolen his phone, traced him to his barbering shop at Abodom.

When confronted, Kwarteng denied having taken the said phone, but an uncle of his, who heard the news, convinced him to return the phone and he later handed it over to the complainant through his uncle.

The complainant after receiving the phone opened it but could not find his SIM card containing important information and he made a report to the Police and Kwarteng was later arrested.

In his caution statement, Kwarteng admitted having taken the phone from the complainant’s room and that he removed the SIM from it.