Twenty-year-old Eric Amissah has been convicted by a Cape Coast Circuit Court for stealing underground telecommunication cables belonging to Telecel Ghana, worth an estimated GH¢580,000.

A second suspect, Emmanuel Cobbold, is awaiting trial for the same crime.

With the assistance of the Abura Police in Cape Coast, the duo was accosted on the night of Wednesday, 31^st July carrying two sacks of stolen copper cable extracted from the telco’s chambers linked to an underground route between Pedu and Interbeton junctions in the central regional capital.

Eric Amissah, who was apprehended during the police hunt, pleaded guilty to the charges when he appeared before a Cape Coast Circuit Court on Thursday, 15^th August and was subsequently sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour.

However, his accomplice Emmanuel Cobbold, who evaded arrest on the night of the police confrontation and was subsequently arrested entered a not guilty plea and will stand trial.

The arrests and subsequent conviction come after years of warnings on fibre and copper cable theft, which remain a major cause of network disruptions around the country.

John Animah, Corporate Security Manager at Telecel Ghana said, "We have been receiving numerous reports of thefts of cables and other movable cell site equipment in various parts of the country, which are causing significant disruptions to the quality of our service. I believe this conviction will deter others from engaging in similar criminal activities.”

The Abura Police, led by Chief Inspector Afrifa, retrieved 20m of 200-pair copper cable from the suspects, however, it was established that a substantial length of copper cable totalling 800m had been stolen from the underground route.

The conviction of Amissah and the imminent trial of Cobbold demonstrates the commitment of the police and other law enforcement agencies to bring justice to those involved in the cable theft incidents.

Director of Legal and External Affairs at Telecel Ghana, Augusta Andrews said the incident highlighted the growing problem of cable theft in Ghana, as such crimes disrupt essential communication services and have significant economic implications.

"The theft of fibre optic cables is a serious crime that can have far-reaching consequences. These cables are essential for providing vital communication services, including internet connectivity and mobile networks. Disrupting these services can have a significant impact on individuals, businesses, and the economy," Augusta said.

With the trial of Emmanuel Cobbold scheduled to resume on September 17, 2024, the authorities are urging the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious cable tampering activity to the police.