Full Detailed News Article:
The Assin Nsuaem Kyekyewere Circuit Court has handed down a total of 20 years’ imprisonment to two men found guilty of multiple counts of cable theft, unlawful entry, abetment of crime, and conspiracy, following a string of cable theft incidents in Assin Edubiase in the Central Region.
The convicts, Stephen Adu-Gyamfi, popularly known as SM 4 Life, a 26-year-old labourer from Assin Atonsu, and Samuel Amoah, also known as Paa Akwasi Driver, a 28-year-old driver from Assin Fosu Menpeasem, were sentenced to 10 years each by the court presided over by His Lordship Emmanuel Amoh-Yartey.
According to the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Abdulai Moro, the complainants in the case were Henry Aayiretuo, a mason, and Elder Isaac Mensah, a teacher and a presiding elder of the Pentecost Church in Assin Edubiase. Both complainants reside in Assin Edubiase and have their respective buildings located in the Edubiase Habitat enclave.
The prosecutor recounted that on June 30, 2025, Stephen Adu-Gyamfi unlawfully broke into a two-storey uncompleted residential building jointly owned by Mr. Aayiretuo and his brother. He stole a substantial quantity of electrical wiring materials, including 1.2mm, 2.5mm, and 4mm Nasal cables, estimated to be worth GH¢20,000.
Following the theft, Adu-Gyamfi contacted his accomplice, Samuel Amoah, to help burn the insulation off the wires to make them easier to sell as scrap. After selling the stripped copper to scrap dealers, Samuel Amoah was reportedly given just GH¢20 as his share of the loot.
Undeterred by the initial theft, the duo struck again the very next day, July 1, 2025. They returned to the same property and stole another batch of electrical cables worth approximately GH¢30,000. They repeated the same process of burning and selling the wires, sharing the proceeds between themselves.
Emboldened by their previous successes, Stephen Adu-Gyamfi attempted a solo theft on July 3, 2025. This time, he targeted the Pentecost Church building, which was still under construction and under the supervision of Elder Isaac Mensah. He made away with copper wires valued at GH¢1,500 belonging to the church.
However, luck ran out for Adu-Gyamfi as alert residents spotted him fleeing the scene with the stolen wires. He was given a hot chase and arrested by members of the community. During initial interrogation, he confessed to the thefts and named Samuel Amoah as his co-conspirator in the earlier crimes.
Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of Samuel Amoah. Both suspects admitted their involvement in the crimes in their caution statements to the police.
After reviewing the evidence presented by the prosecution and the confessions of the accused persons, the court found them guilty on all counts. His Lordship Emmanuel Amoh-Yartey sentenced each of the two men to 10 years imprisonment, totaling 20 years between them.
The ruling has been hailed by residents and security officials as a strong warning to individuals who target construction sites and public infrastructure for selfish gain.
The public is encouraged to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to authorities to help curb theft and criminal behavior in communities.
For further details or follow-up, contact: 054 246 6653
Story by: Shadrack Owusu Asante
