Two men have been sentenced to three years in prison each for stealing nine bales of women’s underwear from a warehouse in Accra, Ghana. The men, Samsu Abdul and Rashiru Yakubu, pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to steal, stealing, and unlawful entry, but were convicted by a court after a trial. Kwame Arhin, Jabril Iddrisu, and Zouberiru, were acquitted and discharged by the court for lack of evidence. Two more accomplices, Enusah and Zaraku, are still on the run.
The complainant, Mathias Agbo, a businessman who owns the warehouse in Kantamanto, said he noticed some items missing from his store on February 22, 2022. He checked the CCTV footage and saw some young men using their own keys to open the padlock on his warehouse and carrying away three bales of women’s underwear worth GHC14,400 ($2,400).
He decided not to change the padlocks, hoping to catch the thieves red-handed. However, the same men returned on March 3 and March 12 and stole two more bales each time. The total value of the stolen goods was GHC 129,600 ($21,600), according to the prosecution.
Abdul was arrested on March 15 and confessed to stealing two bales of women’s underwear while his friends took seven. However, he could not lead the police to his accomplices or the receiver of the stolen goods. Yakubu was arrested on April 25 after an intelligence gathering. He identified Arhin as the key cutter who made the master key that opened the complainant’s warehouse. He also named Iddrisu as the buyer of the women’s underwear.
The court, presided over by Mrs. Evelyn Asamoah, found Abdul and Yakubu guilty and sentenced them to three years in prison each. The court also ordered them to pay GHC 129,600 as compensation to the complainant. The case has drawn attention to the problem of theft and insecurity in Ghana’s capital city. Many business owners have complained of losing their goods to burglars and robbers who operate with impunity and complete disregard for the law.
However, some security experts have advised business owners to take preventive measures such as installing CCTV cameras, alarm systems, and stronger locks to protect their properties. They also urged the police to intensify patrols and investigations to apprehend and prosecute criminals.
Source: Pulse
