The Weija circuit court has remanded a 24-year-old unemployed man into prison custody, for stealing and causing unlawful damage to fuses fixed in electricity distribution panels belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana, Ltd. (ECG).

The fuses are estimated at GH¢15,840.

Michael Ofori, popularly known as Sammy was charged with two counts of causing unlawful damage and stealing.

He pleaded guilty to the charge of causing unlawful damage, and not guilty to stealing and would reappear on November 27, 2024. The court was presided over by Mr. Joshua Caleb Abaidoo.

The prosecution, led by Police Inspector Joseph Barabu, told the Court that on the 15th of November 15, at about 5 am, the complainant in the case, Mohammed Ibrahim, spotted the accused person within the fence of ECG’s transformer and distribution panel at Ayigbe Town, allegedly removing fuses from the panel with a plier.

The accused, according to the prosecution, narrowly escaped from the scene upon seeing the complainant, leaving behind his booty and tools used for the operation.

The complainant called the ECG office at Bortianor to alert them of the incident and handed over the items to them.

The prosecution continued that the Complainant chanced on the accused person the following day and instigated his immediate arrest.

The accused was sent to the New Weija police station, where he was rearrested and interrogated. Upon interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to removing 12 fuses from the distribution panel.

The accused person also led police to other ECG installations in the area where he had previously broken the locks and stolen an unspecified number of fuses, allegedly.

The Court heard that for some time now, the police at SCC, Weija had received several reports of thefts of prepaid meters, and fuses in electricity distribution panels, belonging to ECG.