20-year-old illegal gold digger jailed six years for stealing two mobile phones

Tarkwa (W/R), Jan.26, GNA - A Tarkwa circuit court has sentenced Kwabena Mensah, a 20-year-old illegal gold digger, to six years imprisonment for stealing two mobile phones.

Mensah, an ex-convict, pleaded guilty.
Police Chief Inspector Florence Tawiah told the court that the complainants, Sulemana Bukari and Alex Donkor, are residents of “D” Compound in Prestea and the accused who was discharged from prison a month ago after serving a 6-month jail, is a resident at Akatewa in Prestea.

She said on January 21 the complainants were sleeping on their veranda with their two mobile phones each valued GH¢80 being charged in their room.

Mr Bukari heard his child crying in his room and when he went in he saw the accused holding the two mobile phones belonging to him and the second complainant.

Bukari raised alarm and with the assistance of other people the convict was arrested and handed over to the police.

The judge later told the GNA in an interview that though the items stolen were not expensive to merit such a harsh sentence, under the criminal code when a person, after serving a six-month jail sentence, commits another crime he is expected to be sentenced to 14 years imprisonment in hard labour after which the Police are to monitor the same person for 5 years to be of good behaviour.

He said judges sometimes found it difficult to apply the full rigours of the law adding that he was hopeful that with this minimum sentence, the convict would learn a meaningful trade in prison.

GNA