The Enchi District Magistrate Court has fined two tricycle riders GH¢2,400 each or, in default, sentenced them to 12 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy and stealing.

The convicts, Benjamin Adjei, 18, and Bismark Osei, 22, conspired to steal a Bajaj tricycle valued at GH¢50,000, a Smart Techno mobile phone valued at GH¢1,000, and GH¢600 in cash.

They pleaded guilty to both counts and were convicted on their own plea by the presiding Magistrate, Mr Lawrence Buanor-Buer.

General Sergeant Stephen Offei Asante, who led the prosecution, told the court that the complainant, Mr Theophilus Asiamah, was a tricycle rider residing at New Yakasi in the Aowin Municipality.

He said Adjei, Osei, and two other tricycle riders, who are currently at large, were friends and neighbours in Abuakwa, Ashanti Region.

The prosecution said that on October 15, 2025, Adjei and Osei received a phone call from one Prosper of New Yakasi, inviting them to work at his illegal mining site.

According to General Sergeant Asante, the four travelled from Abuakwa to New Yakasi to engage in the illegal mining activity to earn money.

On October 22, 2025, Prosper allegedly refused to pay them, claiming the gold sample they produced was not good enough, prompting them to decide to return to Abuakwa.

That same day, at about 9:30 p.m., Mr Asiamah, who was in charge of a Bajaj tricycle with registration number M-WN-1210, was searching for passengers at Aunty Suzy’s Store, opposite the Pragya Station in Enchi.

The four suspects approached him, agreed on a fare of GH¢250, and asked him to convey them to Mile Four, a community on the Asankragwa–Enchi Highway.

The prosecutor said that while on the way and approaching a police checkpoint, one of the accused attacked Mr Asiamah, while another, who was seated behind him, poured a substance suspected to be pepper powder into his eyes and pushed him out of the tricycle.

General Sergeant Asante said Mr Asiamah shouted for help, and a passer-by assisted him with water to wash his eyes.

He later contacted a police officer friend, who alerted colleagues at the Yiwabra Police Barrier.

On October 23, 2025, police officers at the barrier intercepted a tricycle carrying three passengers. Adjei, who was riding the tricycle, was arrested, while the others escaped.

He was escorted to the Enchi Police Station with the tricycle, and further investigations led to Osei's arrest by the Abuakwa Police on a bench warrant.

The prosecution said Osei, in his caution statement, confessed to pouring pepper into Mr Asiamah’s eyes.