Ex-convict jailed 10 years for stealing

Kumasi, May 18, GNA - A 30-year old ex-convict, who broke into a room and made away with a number of items, has been jailed by a Kumasi Circuit Court for 10 years in hard labour. Yaw Opoku, alias "Abe" pleaded guilty to charges of stealing, unlawful entry and causing damage.

Police Chief Inspector Comfort Baffour-Kyei told the court presided over by Mr Justice Emmanuel Amo-Yartey that the complainant, Veronica Amankwaa is an aunt to the convict and lives at Bohyen, a suburb of Kumasi. Opoku who also resides at Bohyen, recently came out of prison after serving out his sentence for similar offence, and her aunt out of magnanimity offered to get him into a trade but he refused. On Tuesday, May 7, the complainant detected that her laptop computer was missing and suspecting the nephew of the crime made a formal report to the police.

The prosecution said three days after the convict approached a witness in the case for a pinch bar under the pretext of using the tool to fix his cage. With this, he went straight to the house of Veronica, broke into her room and stole five sets of bed sheets, a car tape and battery as well as cash of GH¢1,000.00. Opoku was later found with the stolen car battery and was arrested as he attempted to sell it. He confessed to stealing all the items, except for the money in his caution statement to the police. These had since been retrieved by the police.