Deportee jailed for cable theft

A 28-year-old fisherman has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for stealing feeder cables worth GH¢ 25,000 belonging to the telecommunications company, MTN, at Pershie in Elmina, in the Central Region. 

The convict, Kojo Nkrumah aka Joe, who is a stowaway but deported, is said to have unlawfully entered the fenced MTN cell site to steal the cables.

Nkrumah pleaded guilty  to the charge of unlawful entry and stealing when he appeared before the Cape Coast Circuit Court presided over by Ms Dorinda Smith Arthur.

He was, therefore, convicted on his own plea by the court.

Prosecution’s facts

The facts as presented by Chief Inspector Theresa Agbavor were that the complainants in the case were a supervisor of ICK International Services Limited, Mr Ishmael Ashitey, and a Telecom Engineer of MTN, Mr James Beke.

The prosecutor said there had been series of feeder cables theft under investigation with the Elmina District Command.

She said on May 25 this year at 5: 22 a.m., the complainants received a distress call from their company information room that a thief had been arrested at their cell site at Pershie, near Elmina.

The complainant, according to Chief Inspector Agbavor, upon receipt of the information went to  Cell Site Four in the company of one Fred Nomafo, a witness to the case.

Fence metal

Upon arrival, the prosecutor said the team saw  Nkrumah tied against the MTN cell site fence metal and about to be lynched by the local people.

The complainants made enquiries on the ground and were told that Nkrumah came to the site with claims that he had been asked to work at the site as an engineer.

“A witness who suspected Nkrumah to be a thief shouted for help but he escaped and returned around 5:10 a.m. to cut the cables,” the prosecutor told the court.

She said the situation subsequently led to the arrest of Nkrumah who was in the possession of the cables which he had wrapped in a sack.

The prosecutor said during investigations, Nkrumah admitted the offence and was arraigned at the circuit court.

The case was investigated by Sergeant Jonas Solee of the Pershie police station.