Emelia Nkrumah
Accra, May 16, GNA – An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 27-year-old Nigerian to a four-year jail term for stealing and unlawful entry.
Michael Awitor broke into the accounting office of the Ave Maria Hotel and stole one Acer and one Dell Laptop valued at GH₵10,000.00.
He was found guilty of the charges of unlawful entry and stealing.
The Court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah convicted Awitor on his own plea of guilty and sentenced him accordingly.
Awitor will concurrently serve three years for unlawful entry and four years in hard labour for stealing.
His accomplices, Abdul Wahab Issahaku, a 50-year-old scrap dealer and Godstime Joseph Edoho, 28-year-old unemployed, were jointly held on charges of abetment of crime. They pleaded not guilty.
Issahaku and Edoho have been admitted to bail in the sum of GH₵50,000.00 each with one surety each.
The Court directed that the surety should be family members of the accused persons.
The case has been adjourned to May 3, 2023.
Police Chief Inspector Daniel Danku told the Court that the complainant, Mr Reynold Sarkodie, who resides at Pokuase Afiaman in Accra is the head of finance at Ave Maria Hotel Limited, while Awitor and his accomplices lived at Achimota.
The prosecution said early this year, the Police gathered information that Awitor had recruited Issahaku and Edoho and lodged them at Achimota. Awitor also fed and clothed the two for the purpose of stealing and bringing the booty to him.
It said whenever Edoho embarked on any stealing expedition, he brought the booty to Issahaku who kept them and informed Awitor.
The prosecution said that based on the information, the Police kept an eye on the activities of Awitor and his accomplices.
It said on February 23, 2023, the complainant reported for work and detected that the door to his office was ajar.
The prosecution said the complainant entered the office and detected that one Dell laptop and one Acer laptop computer were stolen.
It said the complainant reported the incident to the Airport Police for an investigation and based on the information that the Police had received on Awitor and his accomplices, Edoho was arrested.
The prosecution said Edoho admitted the offence and led the Police to arrest Issahaku and Awitor.
It said Issahaku admitted receiving the laptop computers and handing them over to Awitor.
The prosecution said Edoho led Police to the scene and identified the complainant’s office as where he gained access to it and managed to steal the laptop computers.
The prosecution said efforts were being made to retrieve the laptop computers.
GNA