We were compelled by hunger to go and steal — Convict tells court

Two persons, who told an Adentan Circuit Court that they were compelled by hunger to go and steal electrical wiring worth GHC10,000 in an uncompleted building at Oyarifa, have been sentenced to two years imprisonment each.

Kweku Sebastian Kpogo and Solash Quansah, both unemployed, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit crime to wit stealing and stealing.

Kpogo told the court presided over by Mrs Sedinam Awo Balokah that: “It is hunger that compelled us to steal, please forgive us.”

Quansah said: “We will look for a better job, forgive us. We will not do that again.”

The court indicated to the accused that “that was a flimsy excuse for a lazy man,” adding “then we would be in a jungle and anyone who is hungry, will get up and go and steal.”

The court convicted accused persons on their pleas, saying it considered their quick admission of guilt, the fact that they were first offenders and the fact that they did not waste the court’s time and the items in question had been retrieved.

The facts of prosecution are that the complainant is a marketing officer residing at Adenta New Site.

The Prosecution said the accused were unemployed and had no permanent place of abode.

It said the complainant had an uncompleted storey building at Oyarifa, which was recently wired.

Prosecution said on February 2, this year, at about 18:22 hours, the two went to the complainant’s uncompleted building and pulled out all the electrical wiring from the conduit and packed their booty in a sack.

When the accused were leaving the complainant’s premises with the booty, the neighbours saw them and raised alarm. Accused were nabbed and escorted to the Police Station.