Unemployed man jailed 5 years for theft

Prosper Wood, a 19-year-old unemployed man, was sentenced to five years imprisonment in hard labour by a circuit court in Tarkwa for theft.

The convict, who pleaded guilty, stole a laptop computer, mobile phone, MTN and Tigo modems, all totaling 1,470.00 Ghana cedis, belonging to a lecturer at the University of Mines and Technology at Tarkwa.

Police Chief Inspector Edward Paddy told the court presided over by Mr. Samuel Obeng Diawuo, that the complainant lives at Tarkwa Naboso while the convict was a resident of Aboso.

Chief Insp Paddy said on May 3 around 1015 hours, the complainant arrived home from lectures and placed the items on the veranda and entered his bed room to take some learning materials.

According to the prosecution, when the complainant returned the items had been stolen.

Chief Insp. Paddy said around 1130 hours on the same day, a witness in this case spotted Wood walking by the road side at Nzemaline a suburb of Tarkwa with a laptop computer.

The prosecution told the court that the witness confronted the convict, but sensing danger, he dropped the laptop on the ground and took to his heels, and the case was reported to the police at Tarkwa with the laptop as evidence.

Chief Insp. Paddy said the convict was later arrested by the witness and his friends, and handed over to the police. Wood during investigation admitted the offense and the Tigo modem was retrieved from him.

The prosecution said the complainant identified the laptop computer and the Tigo modem as belonging to him.

Chief Insp. Paddy said on May 5 at about 0900 hours, when the convict was being processed for court, he attempted to escape from police custody but he was arrested.**