19-year old jailed 24 months for unlawful entry, stealing

A 19-year-old unemployed man, Rashid Aziz, has been sentenced to 24 months in prison by an Accra Circuit Court after admitting to breaking into a woman’s room and stealing valuable items. His accomplice, Nelson Godwin Ezel, 20, pleaded not guilty and remains in custody pending his next court appearance on June 11, 2025.

According to the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer, the incident occurred around 4:50 a.m. on May 15, 2025, when the complainant, a trader named Fati Ahmed residing in Madina, discovered her room had been unlawfully entered. Several items had been taken, including an iPhone 11 Pro Max worth GH¢5,500, a Samsung tablet valued at GH¢1,200, jewellery estimated at GH¢3,000, and GH¢3,000 in cash.

After discovering the theft, Fati contacted her brother, Abdul Rashid, who traced the stolen iPhone to a repair shop in Korle Bu. The technician revealed that a young man had brought the phone in for unlocking. The phone and the individual were handed over to the complainant, who then filed a report at the Nima Police Station.

Under interrogation, the young man confessed that Rashid Aziz and Nelson Ezel had given him the phone to unlock. The two suspects initially went into hiding, but police later received a tip that they had been apprehended with some of the stolen items and were being held at the James Town Police Station.

At the station, the repair shop technician positively identified the two suspects as the ones who had delivered the phone.

In their caution statements, both Aziz and Ezel admitted to the crime, claiming they were stranded in Madina without money for transport back to Agbogbloshie and decided to commit the theft out of desperation.

Presiding judge Isaac Addo convicted Aziz based on his plea and sentenced him to two years' imprisonment. Ezel will remain in police custody as the legal proceedings against him continue.