A circuit court in Cape Coast has sentenced a 32-year-old man, Samuel Mensah, to 18 months in prison.

Mr. Mensah, on March, 6, 2022, stole a metal slab on the valve chambers belonging to the Ghana Water Company at Ankaful in Cape Coast.

He was apprehended by the community folk at Ankaful and handed over to the police.

Samuel Mensah failed to show up in court when the case was called earlier.

On March, 8, 2022, he presented himself before the court, pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing and was convicted on his own plea.

Speaking after the judgment of the court, the communications manager of the Ghana Water Company for the Western and Central Regions, Nana Yaw Barima Barnie, called on residents where their installations are, to help protect such installations to avert challenges with water supply.

He explained that the valves that are covered by the metal slabs enable the company to stop water from flowing through the pipe network, such that if there is a burst and the burst requires that they stop water from flowing through that pipe line, they would do so.

He stated, "So, it is the valve that we operate, that we throttle, so it will stop the water from flowing through a particular pipeline in order for the burst to be fixed.”

He continued, “So, if it happens that the valve is not working because it’s been buried or someone has stolen the metal slab and people also threw debris in the valve chamber, and we are unable to access the valve, it means that work would be delayed.”

Nana Yaw Barima Barnie further explained the danger the theft of their metal slabs pose to motorists and other users of the road where the valves have been stolen.

“We are appealing to residents in these areas to help us to protect our installations for our collective good,” he stated.