Painter jailed 10 years for stealing

Kwadwo David, a 20 year-old painter was on Tuesday sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in hard labor for unlawfully being on a premises of one Kwaku Botwe and causing damage.

The convict, who had already served a 12 month jail term for stealing, completed his sentence on October 13, last year, and attempted to commit the same offence on January 10, this year.

He pleaded guilty.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Florence Tawiah told the court, presided over by Mr. Justice Obeng Asante that the complainant, Kwaku Botwe, is a carpenter residing at Tamso-Estate New Site while the convict lives at Lay-Out in Tarkwa.

She said at about 1600 hours on January 10 this year, the complainant returned home only to meet the convict trying to break into his room.

Chief Inspector Tawiah said on seeing the complainant, the accused took to his heels but the complainant got hold of him and dragged him back to the house where he discovered that the convict had already caused damage to two padlocks he had used to lock his door.

She said the complainant then handed the accused over to the police.

Passing sentence, the judge said the conduct of the convict indicated that he had not reformed and decided to give him a longer sentenced to serve as a deterrent to others and to enable the accused to learn a trade to become a better person after serving his sentence.