An Accra Circuit Court presided over by Her Honour Susana Eduful has sentenced two petty traders, Stephen Ackon, 27, and Shadrack Tetteh, 26, to one day in prison and a fine of 1,500 penalty units each—equivalent to GH¢18,000—for conspiring to steal a motorbike at Teshie in the Greater Accra Region.
The two men, both residents of Agbogbloshie in Accra, pleaded guilty simpliciter to all three charges: conspiracy to steal, unlawful entry, and stealing. In default of paying the fine, they will each serve a custodial sentence of 24 months.
Facts of the Case
According to the prosecution, the complainant in the case, Abdul Kadri Sumana, is a scrap dealer residing at Teshie. On April 6, 2025, the first accused, Shadrack Tetteh, visited his mother in Teshie and spotted the complainant’s black Royal 125 motorbike, with registration number M-24-GR-44-45, parked in a nearby compound. He quickly hatched a plan to steal it.
In the early hours of April 10, 2025, around 3:00 a.m., Tetteh enlisted the help of the second accused, Stephen Ackon, and together they traveled from Agbogbloshie to Teshie. Upon arrival, they located the parked bike and quietly wheeled it away while the complainant was asleep.
Ackon, who had tools on him, tampered with the motorbike’s wiring, disabling the ignition system and hotwiring the engine to start the bike without a key. The pair then rode the stolen vehicle to La, where they intended to meet a buyer who had pre-arranged to receive the item.
However, their plans were foiled when a police patrol team intercepted and arrested them. During investigations, the police traced the bike back to the complainant. It also emerged that the accused persons were working with a known receiver of stolen goods named Kwame, who is currently at large.
The court was told that this was not the first time the duo had been involved in such thefts, and that Kwame had encouraged them to bring him stolen motorbikes in the past.
Both men were arraigned and convicted on their own plea. The court handed down a symbolic one-day custodial sentence but imposed the hefty fine as a deterrent.
Efforts are ongoing to apprehend Kwame and others connected to the theft ring.
