Head porter convicted of stealing Obetsebi Lamptey Overpass guardrails

A 48-year-old head porter has been convicted of destroying and stealing six metal guardrails at the Obetsebi Lamptey Overpass at Kaneshie in Accra.

Yaw Asare was charged with the offence of causing unlawful damage and stealing metal guardrails belonging to the Ghana Highway Authority when he appeared before the Dansoman Circuit Court.

However, he pleaded not guilty with an explanation, but the court held that Asare’s explanation was inconsistent with his plea.

The presiding judge, El-Alawa Abdul-Bassiit, therefore, convicted him on his plea and remanded him.

Sentencing has been deferred to July 2, 2025.

The accused person is to remain in custody to allow prosecution to furnish the court with the value of damage caused to the overpass. 

Facts

Per the facts narrated by the prosecution led by Chief Inspector Emelia Mensah, the complainant, Adam Alhassan, resides at Sukura, while the accused, Asare, lives at Kwame Nkrumah Circle.

She explained that a few months after the completion of the Obetsebi Lamptey Overpass, it was observed that the metal guardrails, supported by offset blocks, were being stolen. As a result, surveillance was mounted.

On June 9, around 11:30 p.m., the complainant and his patrol team encountered a mob assaulting the accused.

They intervened and rescued Asare.

However, investigations at the scene revealed that he had removed six pieces of the metal guardrails from their offset blocks.

Asare was handed over to the police, along with the exhibits and a shifting spanner tool.

During interrogation, he admitted to the offence, stating that he removed the metal pieces to sell to scrap dealers.

Meanwhile, efforts are ongoing to ascertain and confirm the value of the damaged metal.