Two teenagers jailed 14 years for theft

A Kumasi Circuit Court has sentenced two teenagers to a total of 14 years imprisonment for the theft of washing powder packed in sachets valued at GH¢73.50.

Emmanuel Mensah, 17, and Simon Kwarteng, 18, would each serve a jail term of seven years.

They pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful entry, stealing and dishonestly receiving stolen items.

Police Inspector Gulliver K. Tenkorang told the court presided over by Justice William Boampong that the complainant, Gladys Oduro, is a trader at Kwadaso-Nsuom in Kumasi.

Mensah and Kwarteng worked in the vicinity as a washing bay attendant and vehicle sprayer apprentice respectively.

On May 24, the complainant went to her store only to find that it had been broken into and a number of washing powder in packed sachets stolen.

She made a formal report to the Police at Suntreso and four days later went back to inform them that she suspected Kwarteng of committing the crime.

This led to his arrest and a search conducted in his room uncovered the stolen items.

Upon questioning, he mentioned Mensah as the one who gave the washing powder to him.

He was also arrested and he admitted breaking into the shop to steal from it in his caution statement.**