The Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced a 25-year-old driver, Stephen Ampofo, also known as Kwabena Atta, to 15 years’ imprisonment with hard labour for stealing and causing harm to his neighbour, Elisha Makom.
Ampofo pleaded guilty to both charges and was convicted by the Presiding Judge, Mrs Hathia Ama Manu. In addition to the custodial sentence, the court ordered him to pay GH¢5,000 as compensation to the victim.
According to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Joseph Lartey, who prosecuted the case, both the convict and complainant resided at Wassa Dawurampong in the Western Region.
On Friday, February 28, 2025, Makom, who was recovering from an injury, had boiled water to massage his body when Ampofo visited and offered to assist. Makom accepted the offer and later fell asleep with his Itel keypad phone beside him.
Ampofo, who had initially left the house, returned while Makom was asleep and stole the phone. When Makom woke up and noticed the phone was missing, he suspected Ampofo and went to his house, where he found him asleep. A search revealed the stolen phone, though the battery had been removed.
Makom alerted neighbours and confronted Ampofo, who initially denied the theft but later apologised and returned home.
Later that same day, around 5:30 p.m., Ampofo returned to Makom’s residence and, finding him lying down, slashed his throat with a cutlass before fleeing the scene.
Makom’s cries for help drew the attention of neighbours, who rushed him to a nearby health centre for treatment.
Ampofo was later arrested and handed over to the Bawdie Police. A medical form issued to Makom was completed and submitted as evidence in court.
During police interrogation, Ampofo admitted to the crime and claimed he was under the influence of akpeteshie (local gin) at the time of the attack.
Source: GNA
