A Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced a 21-year-old ex-convict, Kingsford Quarshie alias Cash money, to eight years imprisonment in hard labour for causing unlawful damage, unlawful entry and stealing.
The convict’s accomplice, Joshua Hammond alias Gucci, a 20-year-old student of the Takoradi Technical University was also sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for abetment.
The two pleaded guilty to all the four charges and were convicted on their own pleas.
In 2023, Quarshie who was then a juvenile was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment to the Correctional Centre for robbery.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Samuel Ahiabor, prosecuting told the court presided over by Her Honour Bernice Mensima Ackon, that the complainant Evans Antwi is a businessman based in Tarkwa.
He said Quarshie is a Miner and he resided in Lay-Out, while his mother and wife lived in the same house at market circle, where the complainant used the front view as a supermarket and warehouse.
He said on March 22, 2026, around 0630 hours, the complainant opened his supermarket and warehouse, discovered that the burglar-proof window had been damaged and the shop ransacked.
ASP Ahiabor said the complainant reported the issue to the police and when they checked the shop thoroughly, they found out that a TM1 laptop worth GH¢3,000.00, assorted provisions valued at GH¢1,927.90 and a cash sum of GH¢50,000.00 were missing.
According to the prosecutor, a Closed-Circuit Television camera installed in the vicinity captured the activities carried out by Quarshie, Hammond, and one Collins, who is at large.
He said per the revelation from the CCTV, the police retrieved the stolen items which included sachets of cowbell-powered milk, Nestle and Yumvita Cerelac, a can of H&H sweetened condensed milk and TM1 laptop from Hammond’s room after investigations.
He said further investigations also revealed that at about 1:00 am, Quarshie and Collins damaged the supermarket’s burglar-proof window to gain access for the operation.
ASP Ahiabor said around 2:20 am, the two proceeded to the crime scene and Quarshie gave a green bag to Hammond and instructed him to hand it over to him after entering the shop, and he obliged.
The prosecutor said that while the two were ransacking the supermarket, Hammond patrolled to void suspicion by persons passing by.
He said after the operation, the items were handed over to Hammond to be sent to his residence, while he other two stayed behind in the shop.
ASP Ahiabor informed the court that Hammond was arrested following investigations, and all the items except the cash sum of GH¢50,000.00 were retrieved.
GNA
