An Adentan Circuit Court has sentenced a 23-year-old welder to four years in prison for unlawfully entering the room of an Immigration Officer and stealing her electrical gadgets worth GHC9,378.

Edmond Asare pleaded guilty with explanation to charges of unlawful damage, unlawful entry, and stealing.

After listening Asare's explanation, the court presided over by Mrs Sedinam Awo Balokah said his reasoning had confirmed his guilt.

The court sentenced Asare to three months in prison for causing damage, 12 months for unlawful entry, and four years for stealing.

Sentences will however run concurrently.

Asare prayed for the court to have mercy on him.

According to Asare, his late father gave him a plot of land in the Eastern Region of Ghana, which he was willing to sell to pay for the items he stole.

Asare testified in court that an accomplice, Isaac Kofi Dordoe, a taxi driver facing a charge of dishonestly receiving, had no knowledge of the incident.

He stated he simply requested GHc1,000 from Dordoe and asked him to keep the booty as collateral till he repaid the amount.

Asare therefore prayed to the court to discharge Dordoe.

The court however admitted Dordoe to bail in the sum of GHC 50,000 with two sureties and adjourned the matter to October 30, 2023, for mention.

The prosecution led by Chief Inspector Anim Darko said the complainant, Irene Ansom Uroki-Kang, is a Senior Immigration Officer residing at Ghana Immigration Quarters, Mile 13, Frafraha Adenta.

Chief Inspector Anim said Asare is a welder residing in Frafraha Alhaji while Dordoe, 42, is a taxi driver living in Nanakrom.

According to the prosecution, on July 24, 2023, about 1030 hours, when the complainant was at work, Asare entered her premises, broke into her room, and stole a 43-inch LG TV, an Acer laptop, two Blu Gate mobile phones, and an Itel mobile phone worth GHC9,378.00.

On August 30, 2023, about 1200 hours, Asare returned to the complainant's house and attempted to steal her Toyota Corolla saloon car but ran out of luck when he was seen by the complainant.

The prosecutor said the complainant pursued Asare and was assisted by some neighbours to arrest him and hand him over to the Adenta Police Station.

During investigation, Asare admitted the crime and mentioned Dordoe as the person he sold the 43 inches LG TV set and Acer laptop for GHC700 and GHC400, respectively. Dordoe was arrested and he took the police to his house at Nanakrom, where the 43-inch LG TV and Acer laptop were retrieved from his room.