Court jails man 4years for stealing over USD10,000 school items  

The Accra Circuit Court One has sentenced a 27-year-old man to four years imprisonment in hard labour for stealing laptop computers, among other items valued over USD10,000 belonging to the Association International School.

Michael Awitor, unemployed, admitted entering the School head’s office unlawfully to make away with the items and was sentenced accordingly.

Abdul Wahab Issahaku, 50, and Godstime Joseph Edoho, 28, have denied abetting Awitor, the convict, to steal the various items.

They were admitted to a GHC120,000.00 bail with three sureties, each.

One of their sureties, each, is to be justified, the Court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah ordered.

Issahaku and Edoho will return to the Court on September 11, 2023.

Police Inspector wisdom Alorwu told the Court that Madam Esther Coleman, the complainant was the Personal Assistant to the head of Association International School, Airport Residential Area.

Issahaku, he said, was a scrap dealer living at Achimota just as Edoho, a Nigerian, unemployed and Awitor.

The prosecution said in 2023, the Police gathered information that, Issahaku had recruited Edoho and Awitor, and housed them at Achimota, fed and clothed them for the purposes of using them for stealing.

It said whenever Awitor embarked on any stealing expedition, he brought the booty to Edoho, who kept the booty and informed Issahaku.

With that information, the Police laid surveillance on their activities.

It said on February 20, 2023, the complainant went to work and detected that, the office of the head of the School was broken into and ransacked, the Court heard.

She detected that, a MacBook Air laptop computer valued US$2000.00 and MacBook Pro laptop computer valued USS3000.00, used iPhone plus charger, Ti 85 calculator, two Casio scientific calculators, two iPhone chargers, one portable USD fan with inbuilt were stolen.

The prosecution said one power bank, twelve TB Western digital HIDD, new power bank with charger and one hand bag, valued at USS5,000.00 belonging to the School were also stolen.

It said the complainant reported the incident to the Airport Police for investigation.

Following the earlier information, the Police arrested Atwitor.

In his investigation cautioned statement he confessed to the offence and led the Police to arrest the two others.

The prosecution said the two admitted the offence and Issahaku stated that, he had handed over all the exhibits to his co-financier, one Asare.

He then led the Police to the house of the said Asare at Achimota, but before the Police got there, he had escaped.

The prosecution said efforts were being made to arrest Asare and retrieve the stolen items.

GNA