An 18-year-old small-scale miner has been sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment with hard labour by the Tarkwa District Magistrate Court after being found guilty of stealing an iPhone 11 valued at GH¢2,600 from a student in the Western Region.
The accused, identified as Theophilus Fameye, committed the offence when the complainant, Stephen Omare, a student residing at Bompieso, left his iPhone 11 charging in his room, but he forgot to lock the door.
Prosecutor Police Inspector Patrick Essien told the court that the incident occurred while the complainant was charging his phone because his fan was not working. He decided to sleep in his father’s adjacent room.
Inspector Essien said that at about 7:00 a.m. the following morning, the complainant returned to his room and discovered the phone was missing. Together with his father, he attempted to call the device using the father’s phone, but it had been switched off.
They later received information that Fameye, who lived in the same neighbourhood, had taken the phone. They went to his residence and demanded the device. Fameye entered his room, retrieved the phone and handed it over to them.
He was subsequently taken to the Aboso Police Station, where the complainant lodged a formal complaint.
After investigations and his appearance before the court, Fameye admitted the offence and was convicted on his own plea.
