On September 3, 2023, 19-year-old Matinu Alhassan, a foreman, came before an Adentan Circuit Court to answer to charges of stealing GH¢57,000 from a hardware store.
The defendant entered a not guilty plea to the counts of stealing, damaging a padlock, and breaking into the store before the Angela Attachie-presiding court.
He entered a not guilty plea, and the judge set GH¢57,000 bail with two sureties who had to show they had landed property. The case was postponed until October 2, 2023, in order to provide for more court time.
According to Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo, the prosecution, who made the case in court, Emmanuel Twumasi was a businessman who filed the complaint.
He stated that Oyibi, Appolonia, an Accra suburb, is home to Twumasi, the accused Alhassan, and his presumed collaborator, Malik Adam, who is presently at large.
He continued by saying that Twumasi, a hardware equipment dealer, possessed multiple stores in Accra, one of which was run by a man named Mohammed and was situated in Appolonia.
Mohammed, Adam, the suspect, and other workers who often slept at the store.
The prosecutor stated that Twumasi was unable to pick up the gains after the store closed for the day on August 8, 2023, so he gave Mohammed, the shop manager, the task of securing the money.
Chief Inspector Lanyo claims that the accused, Alhassan, found out about the money’s existence from his acquaintance and alleged accomplice, Adam.
As Adam and shop manager Mohammed were asleep, Alhassan made an unexpected visit to the shop the same day at approximately 11 p.m.
After that, Alhassan broke the padlock containing the money and took GH¢57,000. Adam saw Alhassan trying to flee with the money and asked him some questions. Adam consented to let Alhassan flee because he offered to split the money with him.
“The shopkeeper reported the theft and break-in to the complainant the following day, and as a result, a report was filed at the Oyibi Police Station.”
Following investigations, the accused—who had earlier acknowledged the offense in his caution statement—was taken into custody.
He later asserted, nevertheless, that he was unaware of the missing funds.
The prosecutor stated that attempts were being made to capture Adam, the alleged accomplice.
