An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 24-year-old woman to 12 months’ imprisonment for the theft of a Hisense 50-inch TV valued at GH¢8,900, at the Teshie military barracks, specifically at the Church of Pentecost (COP) Whistler Barracks Worship Centre.
The convicted woman, Mawuena Tamakloe, pleaded guilty to unlawful entry and TV theft in Accra. She was handed a 12-month jail term on each count, to run concurrently.
According to the prosecution led by Chief Inspector Clemence Takyi, the court ordered a pregnancy test before sentencing, which returned negative.
However, following the test, Mawuena escaped custody en route back to the police station.
She reportedly hopped into a commercial vehicle and a taxi in an attempt to flee. A good Samaritan on a motorbike assisted the police in tracking her down, and she was eventually re-arrested.
In court, the relieving judge, Mrs. Susan Edufful, advised Mawuena to take the prison sentence as an opportunity to reform.
The judge took into consideration her age, status as a first-time offender, her plea for leniency, and the value of the stolen TV before delivering the sentence.
Earlier, the prosecution withdrew a third charge of causing unlawful damage to the property of the COP Whistler Barracks Worship Centre after Mawuena explained, and the court entered a not guilty plea on that count.
The complainant, Ebenezer Oppong Aboagye, an elder of the church, testified that the accused was seen on May 15, 2025, at about 8:30 am, carrying the Hisense UHD 4K 50-inch TV with the church’s inscription on the box.
She was intercepted by military personnel who handed her over to the Military Police after her explanation raised suspicions of theft at the military barracks.
During interrogation, Mawuena confessed to stealing the television from an office inside the church auditorium.
A subsequent visit by police to the scene confirmed that the inner wooden door to the head pastor’s office had been forcibly damaged, leading to further charges.
