The Asokwa Circuit Court in Kumasi has sentenced a 35-year-old man to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment after he admitted stealing from a patient’s relative at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and unlawfully possessing police gear, which prosecutors say he used while targeting victims in hospital settings.
Charles Ampofo, an unemployed resident of Sunyani, pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing and unlawful possession of police gear and related items during proceedings before the court.
He was sentenced on his own plea for stealing, contrary to Section 124(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960, and for unlawful possession of a police uniform and other property, contrary to Section 28 of the Police Service Act, 1970.
Betrayal of trust
According to the brief facts presented in court by the police prosecutor, ASP Stephen Ofori, the incident occurred on the evening of July 6, 2026, when the convict met the complainant, Jabuni Issah, a farmer from Techiman.
The complainant, who was visiting a relative admitted to KATH, struck up a friendship with Ampofo, who claimed he was also at the hospital to visit a relative admitted there at about 8:00 p.m.
Showing goodwill, Issah shared a mat with Ampofo so they could sleep along the hospital corridor for the night.
The situation, however, took a turn at approximately 4:05 a.m. on July 7, 2026, when Ampofo suddenly raised a false alarm, claiming his mobile phone had been stolen.
Awoken by the commotion, Issah checked his belongings and discovered that GH¢6,000 in cash was missing from his bag.
ASP Ofori told the court, presided over by Her Honour Vida Akyaa Yeboah on Thursday, July 9, 2026, that when Issah immediately alerted hospital security, Ampofo became visibly tense and fled the scene as security guards began questioning those in the area.
How hidden cash and police gear were discovered
Following a chase, Ampofo was arrested, and a search of his person revealed GH¢5,000 of the stolen money stuffed inside his socks. He was then handed over to the police.
A subsequent search of Ampofo’s bag uncovered Ghana Police Service accoutrements, including a pair of handcuffs, two stun devices, a drop-leg holster and a carrier vest.
During interrogation, Ampofo confessed to stealing the farmer’s money but failed to explain how he came into possession of the police gear.
The Asokwa Circuit Court handed down the two-and-a-half-year sentence after Ampofo pleaded guilty to both charges.
ASP Stephen Ofori argued that the convict’s actions were highly reprehensible, noting that theft at hospitals has become rampant.
According to him, the incident would have brought the hospital into disrepute had the accused succeeded in escaping with the money.
Crocodile tears in court?
Ampofo broke down immediately after the court handed down his jail sentence and pleaded for leniency.
However, the court observed that there was not a single tear despite his crying.
While the stealing charge attracted a two-year jail term, the unlawful possession of police accoutrements earned him an additional six months’ imprisonment.
Her Honour Akyaa Yeboah said the court took into consideration the fact that the convict was a first-time offender.
She added that she was not moved by the convict’s display of emotion in court, noting that his cries produced no tears.
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