Four people have been hauled before the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly breaking into the homes of people and stealing their personal valuable belongings and piggy bank, popularly known as “susu box,” at Baatsonaa in Accra. 

The accused persons, all Nigerians, are a 26-year-old carpenter, Moses Chinedu; a 24-year-old trader, Ugochukwu Onyeka; Obumneke Nnebuo, 26, unemployed; and Wisdom Ugochukwu, a 26-year-old trader.

According to police prosecutors, the four accused persons allegedly broke into the homes of Leslie Nii Fio Mensah, a self-employed, and Abraham Kwaku Frimpong, a freight forwarder, who all live in the same house but different apartments at Baatsonaa.

They are alleged to have made away with valuable items worth GH¢ 25,470, $2,200, and £2,500.

The items include one HP Laptop, one Samsung S6 Lite value, one Samsung A32 mobile phone, one Samsung A33 mobile phone, two JBL Bluetooth speakers, two JBL Bluetooth Headsets, and a Rolex Gold coloured watch, among others.

The accused persons have been charged with seven counts of conspiracy to steal, unlawful entry, causing unlawful damage, and stealing.

Their pleas in respect of the charges were not taken when they appeared before the court presided over by Susana Eduful.

This is because the court did not have an Igbo interpreter readily available to translate the charges for the accused persons to understand the charges against them.

They have been remanded to reappear on October 6.

Prosecution’s facts

Narrating the facts of the case, the prosecution, led by Sergeant Priscilla Avorgah, said that on September 18, the complainants left home for work early in the morning.

However, when they returned, they realised that thieves had scaled the fence wall, entered the premises, and caused damage to their doors.

“They forcibly entered their room and the aforementioned items were stolen from the rooms of the complainants,” the prosecutor told the court.

Sgt. Avorgah said the complainants reported the case to the Police, adding that when the police visited the scene, it was realised that the fence wall was very short and the accused persons took advantage of the serene environment and entered the premises. 

“The thieves caused damage to the first complainant’s kitchen door and gained access to his room and ransacked it.

The thieves succeeded in stealing the items as listed in the charge sheet. 

“The accused persons again caused damage to the second complainant's door, entered his room, and stole the items as listed in the charge sheet,” she added.

On September 19 at about 3:00 a.m., one of the stolen tablets was tracked to a location at the Millicent Hotel, Baatsonaa.

When police entered the rooms of the accused persons, the prosecutor said all the items belonging to the complainants were found on them, leading to their arrest.

The prosecutor said further investigations disclosed that the accused persons came to the country and lodged at the hotel where they were arrested.

“Their mission was to enter various houses to steal from them whilst they were at work. That complainant’s house was the third house they entered to steal,” the prosecutor told the court.