Desperation Behind Bars: Unemployed Man’s Theft of Cash and Phones

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced an 18-year-old unemployed to seven months imprisonment for stealing GHC 3,500 and mobile phones valued GHC4,000 from a shop.

Daniel Awunyamah, charged with two counts of stealing, pleaded guilty before the Court presided over by Basilia Adjei.

Prosecution led by Chief Inspector Wisdom Alorwu, told the Court that the complainant Rebecca Otoo was a businesswoman and a resident of Nungua in Accra.

Prosecution said the complainant operated a bar known as “infinity Pub” located at Nungua Kantamanto.

On July 2, 2024, at about 3:00, Awunyamah jumped the fence wall behind the complainant’s bar and entered the shop where a salesgirl, a witness in the case, was sleeping on a counter.

The Court heard that the accused person, after entering the bar, picked a lady’s purse on the counter and took GHC3,500 from it.

Prosecution said the accused person collected two iPhones 6 valued at GHC2,000 and iPhone 8 also valued at GHC 2,000 which was being charged at the counter.

According to prosecution, during the accused person’s act, the salesgirl woke up and saw the accused person with the money and the mobile phones.

The salesgirl chased the accused person, but he managed to escape.

Prosecution said during investigations, the Police procured CCTV footage from the complainant’s bar and the accused was seen.

Prosecution said on July 27, 2024, the accused person was arrested and in his caution statement, he admitted the offence and led the Police to the cap as well as three mobile phones.

According to the prosecutor, accused had, however, spent the stolen money.