A Circuit Court in Accra, presided over by Her Honour Susana Eduful, has sentenced two men, Isaac Bortey, alias “Brown” and David Abu Bonnah, to three months’ imprisonment each, after they pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful entry, stealing and dishonestly receiving.
The incident occurred on May 17, 2025 at Nungua in the Greater Accra Region.
According to the prosecution, Isaac Bortey, a 28-year-old factory hand, unlawfully entered the premises of one Vida Lomotey, a security officer, at about 3:16 a.m. and stole a black 32-inch Samsung television set, valued at GH¢1,500.00.
Bortey, who had no lawful authority to be on the property, removed the wall-mounted television, while witness Albert Alabi Tsokosi, a caretaker in the complainant’s house was asleep in an adjoining room.
The theft went unnoticed until later, when the complainant, with assistance from another witness, Ebenezer Badu, identified and arrested Bortey on May 28, 2025.
He was subsequently handed over to the police. During interrogation, Bortey admitted to the offence and revealed that he had sold the stolen television to 52-year-old David Abu Bonnah, a trader, also residing in Nungua. Abu Bonnah was arrested on May 30, 2025 following investigations.
Both men were charged under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). Bortey faced two counts: unlawful entry, contrary to Section 152 and stealing, contrary to Section 124(1), while Abu Bonnah was charged with dishonestly receiving stolen property, contrary to Section 147.
In court, both accused persons pleaded guilty simpliciter.
In delivering judgment, Her Honour Susana Eduful noted that the convicts were first-time offenders and took into account the value of the stolen item.
Consequently, she imposed a custodial sentence of three months on each of the accused.
The court emphasised the need to deter similar offences in the community while balancing justice with leniency for first-time offenders.
