The Dansoman Circuit Court, presided over by Her Honour Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit, has convicted a 48-year-old head porter, Yaw Asare, for causing unlawful damage and stealing metal guardrails from the Obetsebi Lamptey Overpass in Accra.
Sentencing has, however, been deferred until July 2, 2025, pending a valuation report on the extent of damage and the value of the stolen property.
Yaw Asare pleaded guilty with an explanation to both charges: causing unlawful damage, contrary to Section 172 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), and stealing, contrary to Section 124(1) of the same Act.
His explanations were deemed consistent with his guilty plea, prompting the court to convict him accordingly.
According to the prosecution, led by Sgt. Kunta on behalf of Chief Inspector Emelia Mensah, the incident occurred on the night of June 9, 2025, at the Obetsebi Lamptey Overpass in Accra.
The complainant, Adams Alhassan, a resident of Sukura and a member of a highway patrol team, encountered the accused being assaulted by a mob during their routine patrol around 11:30 p.m.
Upon rescuing him, the patrol team gathered information from the scene indicating that Asare had unlawfully removed six metal guardrails supported by offset blocks from the overpass — critical infrastructure managed by the Ghana Highways Authority.
He was found with a shifting spinner tool and was in possession of the stolen metals at the time of his arrest.
The accused, who resides at Kwame Nkrumah Circle, admitted to the offence during police interrogation, stating that he intended to sell the metals to a scrap dealer.
The police retrieved the exhibits and launched efforts to determine the financial value of the damage caused.
The court, after accepting Asare’s guilty plea, ruled that sentencing would be postponed until the prosecution furnishes the court with the valuation report. In the interim, the accused is to remain in lawful custody.
