Two friends, who stole gold-bearing stones valued at GH¢15,000 from a grinding machine shop in Kaniankor Top, a suburb of Nsuaem, have been sentenced to a total of 16 months’ imprisonment.

Ibrahim Asante and his accomplice, Kwame Ntiamoah, both galamsey operators, would each serve eight months imprisonment in hard labour the Tarkwa District Court One said.  

They pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit a crime and stealing.  

Inspector of Police Patrick Essien, Prosecuting, told the court presided over by Charles Owusu Nsiah that the complainant, Francis Ankomah, owns a grinding machine shop in Kaniankor Top, and resided in the same community with the convicts.  

He said Asante worked for the complainant in his grinding machine shop for a fee for a couple of months.  

The prosecution said on Wednesday, January 1, this year, the complainant gave Asante an amount of GH¢320.00 for his upkeep and left for his hometown in Adansi Akrofuom to celebrate the New Year with his family.  

Police Inspector Essien said on January 3, 2025, Asante and Ntiamoah entered the complainant’s shop and stole his gold-bearing stones. Still, after the act, Asante secretly called the complainant on the phone to inform him that Ntiamoah had stolen his gold-bearing stones.  

According to the prosecutor, the complainant upon receiving the information returned to Kaniankor Top, arrested Ntiamoah and handed him over to the Nsuaem police.  

He said when Ntiamoah was questioned at the police station, he stated that Asante was the one who invited him over to the complainant’s shop to commit the offence.  

The prosecution said Asante was, therefore, picked up and he explained that they had GH¢460 each as their booty, paid GH¢200 for processing of the gold-bearing stone and GH¢200 to two persons, who also assisted them in the processing.  

Ntiamoah, however, told the police that he received only GH¢150 from his counterpart as his share.