Three friends jailed nine years each over GH¢40k phone shop raid

Three friends have each been handed a nine-year jail term by the Kwadaso Circuit Court in the Ashanti Region after admitting to stealing goods worth about GH¢40,000 from a phone shop.

Blessed Manu, alias Bullet, a 27-year-old trader, 19-year-old unemployed Akwasi Antwi, known as Malonzy, and 25-year-old electrician Nicholas Addai, alias Banko, all pleaded guilty to a single count of stealing and were convicted on their own plea.

Prosecutor Chief Inspector David Opoku Kwabi told the court, presided over by Jephthah Appau, that the complainant, businessman Enock Boateng, lives at Sepaase-Adwafo, while all three convicts are residents of Sepaase in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality.

On the morning of 15 November 2025, at about 06:00, Mr Boateng arrived to open his shop and discovered it had been broken into. A later check showed that 30 keypad phones, two iPhones, five other smartphones, 50 pairs of rubber slippers, 10 pairs of sandals, assorted phone accessories and a television decoder had been taken. The total value of the items was put at GH¢40,000.

He reported the matter to the Sepaase police. With support from informants in the community, officers arrested Manu and Antwi on suspicion. In their caution statements, the two admitted their roles in the break-in and named Addai as the third member of the gang. Addai was later picked up from his hideout on 29 November.

The court heard that Addai also confessed, and each of the three led police to their rooms, where some of the stolen items were recovered.

Investigations established that the men had cut through the back of the shop to gain entry and used the same opening to escape with the stolen goods.

After completing their investigations, police charged the three, who were subsequently convicted and sentenced by the court.