Trader Jailed 15 Years For Snatching Mobile Phone

A Circuit Court in Accra on Friday handed down a 15-year jail term on a mobile phone thief who snatched the mobile phone of a police officer.

Sumaila Haruna, a trader, pleaded not guilty but at the end of the trial the court found him guilty of conspiracy, stealing and causing unlawful damage and sentenced him accordingly. His accomplice, Jafaru, is at large.

The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) George Abavelim, said on March 6, last year, Detective Inspector A.J. Kodua of the Organised Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service, who was driving from Palm Wine Junction through Trade Fair to Burma Camp, picked a call while there was a traffic jam.

The prosecution said suddenly two persons who were riding a motorbike between the vehicles rode to his car, snatched his phone and fled.

Startled by the action, the police officer lost control and ran into a vehicle. Inspector Kodua made a report to the police and repaired the damaged vehicle at a cost of ¢15 million.

On April 24, last year investigations led to the arrest of Haruna, who admitted the offence saying on that day, he was riding the motorbike while Jafaru snatched the phone.

Haruna said he received ¢300,000 as his share of the booty.