The Accra Circuit Court has handed down a 24-month prison sentence to a labourer, Thomas Agbeko, after he confessed to breaking into a warehouse and stealing a neighbour’s motorbike valued at GH₵20,000.
The sentencing, delivered by Mrs. Susana Eduful, combined penalties for causing unlawful damage, unlawful entry, and stealing—with all terms to run concurrently.
Agbeko’s accomplice, only identified as Solomon, remains at large.
Abuse of Trust
According to the prosecution, led by Police Chief Inspector Ebenezer Teye-Okuffo, the complainant, Madam Betty Agyeman, had employed Agbeko on several occasions to offload goods from her warehouse and weed its surroundings.
On one such occasion, she instructed him to move an unregistered Peugeot motorbike, later stolen, into the warehouse. Investigations revealed that Agbeko later conspired with Solomon to steal the motorbike.
Witness Betrayal Avoided
Evidence presented in court showed that Agbeko had earlier approached a friend, urging him to assist in tampering with the motorbike’s wiring so they could steal it. The friend, however, declined and later passed on the information.
Despite initially denying the offence upon arrest, Agbeko later admitted in front of witnesses that he had broken the warehouse lock, valued at GH₵1,000, and stolen the motorbike. He also led police to Agbogbloshie-Zongo Junction, where he claimed the stolen motorbike was sold, but refused to identify the buyer.
Justice Served
The Court, in sentencing him, emphasised the gravity of abusing a neighbour’s trust and warned that theft and property crimes will not be tolerated.
Police say the search is still underway to apprehend Solomon, his alleged accomplice.
