Carver sentenced 36 months, fined 1,000 Ghana Cedis for stealing

Akim Swedru (E/R), Feb. 10, GNA - A circuit court at Akim Swedru has sentenced Bismark Fenteng, a carver, to a total of 36 months imprisonment and a fine of 1,000 Ghana Cedis, for breaking into two churches and a kiosk at Akim Anamase to steal electronic gadgets and provisions valued at 850 Ghana Cedis.

The 22-year-old carver, described by the Prosecution as a notorious criminal, pleaded guilty to stealing from the kiosk, AME Zion and the Roman Catholic churches.

The trial judge, Mr. Kofi Akrowiah stated in his judgement that it was proper to incarcerate Fenteng with a view to stop him from becoming a threat to his community in particular and society as a whole. The Prosecution's case was that, all the complainants live at Akim Anamase in the Birim South District of the Eastern Region, where Fenteng is a resident. The convict broke into the AME Zion church and stole an 18-inch speaker, a wall clock and other items worth 150 Ghana Cedis, upon which he was jailed three years.

Prior to his sentence, Fenteng had also broken into the Anamase Roman Catholic Church and stole another 18-inch speaker, electric cables, flowers and other items worth 200 Ghana Cedis and was sentenced to a fine of 500 Ghana Cedis. According to the Prosecution, what made Fenteng notorious in his criminal activities was that; "he steals indiscriminately, anything that comes his way", adding that he also broke into a provision kiosk at Anamase and made away with items worth 500 Ghana Cedis, upon which he was sentenced to a fine of 500 Ghana Cedis.

On October 18, 2008 the complainant, Rev. James Adu Yaw, in-charge of the Zion Church, made a report to the police about the theft in his Church and during investigations, Fenteng was suspected therefore invited by the police and while investigations were on-going, the convict was arrested forhis involvement in the Catholic Church theft. In a search conducted in Fenteng's room, some of the stolen items from the Zion Church were found concealed under his bed, while the 18-inch speaker, property of the Catholic Church was found connected to a vehicle tape-player in the room.