A 27-year-old driver’s mate has been sentenced to three months’ imprisonment by the Gbese District Court after pleading guilty to stealing GH¢7,000 and a mobile phone at Tema Station in Accra.
The convict, Edem Avenyo, admitted to the offence and was convicted on his own plea. The court rejected his appeal for leniency, despite his assurance that he was prepared to work to repay the stolen money and replace the phone.
Prosecutors told the court that the complainant is a public transport driver who lives at Aplaku, while Avenyo resides in the Arts Centre area of Accra.
According to the prosecution, led by Inspector Isaac Agyemang, the incident occurred in the early hours of 25 October 2025. The complainant had parked his vehicle at the Tema Station car park, located behind the National Lotteries Authority, and slept in the vehicle together with his mate, Godwin Owusu, after closing from work.
At about 04:00 local time, the driver woke up to discover that his Samsung Galaxy smartphone, valued at GH¢2,900, and GH¢7,000 in cash, which had been kept under the seat of the vehicle, were missing.
Later that morning, Mr Owusu attempted to call the complainant’s phone. The call was answered by Avenyo, who was not authorised to be in possession of the device. When asked to return the phone, Avenyo reportedly refused.
The court heard that on 26 October 2025, Avenyo used the stolen phone to take a photograph of himself and uploaded it onto the complainant’s WhatsApp status, an action that helped to identify him as the suspect.
Following investigations, Avenyo was arrested on 19 December 2025 at his hideout near the COCOBOD area in Accra.
During police questioning, he admitted to stealing both the phone and the cash. He told investigators that he had sold the mobile phone at Nsawam for GH¢800 and had already spent the GH¢7,000.
In court, Avenyo pleaded with the judge to “temper justice with mercy,” saying he regretted his actions and was willing to make restitution. However, the court proceeded to convict him and sentenced him to three months in prison.
The case serves as a reminder of the legal consequences of theft and highlights concerns over security at transport terminals, particularly during the early hours of the morning.