Selfie on stolen phone lands driver’s mate in three-month jail term

A 27-year-old driver’s mate has been jailed for three months after stealing GH¢7,000 and a mobile phone from his employer at Tema Station in Accra – and then exposing himself by posting a selfie with the stolen handset.

The Gbese District Court sentenced Edem Avenyo after he pleaded guilty to one count of stealing. The court convicted him on his own plea and imposed a custodial sentence.

Prosecutor Inspector Isaac Agyemang told the court that the complainant, a commercial driver living at Aplaku, shared a vehicle with his mate, Godwin Owusu, while Avenyo resided at the Arts Centre in Accra.

On 24 October 2025, the complainant parked his vehicle at the Tema Station car park behind the National Lotteries Authority and spent the night in it with Owusu. At about 04:00 hours the following morning, he woke to find that his Samsung Galaxy smartphone, valued at GH¢2,900, and cash of GH¢7,000 kept under the seat, had disappeared.

Later that morning, Owusu dialled the complainant’s number. Avenyo answered the call but refused a request to return the phone.

On 26 October 2025, Avenyo used the stolen handset to take a photograph of himself and uploaded the image to the complainant’s WhatsApp status, effectively revealing his identity. He was subsequently tracked down and arrested on 19 December 2025 at his hideout near the COCOBOD area.

During police investigations, Avenyo admitted the offence. He told officers he had sold the phone at Nsawam for GH¢800 and spent the GH¢7,000. In court, he pleaded for leniency, promising to refund the money and replace the phone, but the judge proceeded to sentence him to three months’ imprisonment.