Court jails police armoured vehicle thief one month

A 26-year-old unemployed man has been sentenced to one month in prison after admitting that he attempted to steal a police armoured vehicle at Nkawie in the Ashanti Region.

Ebenezer Frimpong, a native of Antwi Agyeikrom in the Atwima Mponua District, changed his plea from not guilty to guilty when he appeared before the Kwadaso Circuit Court in Kumasi on Tuesday, July 21.

The court, presided over by His Honour Jephtha Appau, convicted him on his own plea.

The conviction followed the presentation of a psychiatric report from the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, which found him fit to stand trial.

The report had been pending for several months.

Frimpong had initially pleaded not guilty when he first appeared before the same court on May 5, 2026.

However, after the psychiatric report was read in open court, he told the court that he wanted to change his plea.

The judge asked whether he understood the consequences of the change.

Frimpong answered in the affirmative.

According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on April 14, 2026.

General Lance Corporal Joshua Denkyi, a police driver, was in charge of an armoured police vehicle with registration number GP 1131.

The vehicle was being sent to a workshop for servicing.

On the way, the officer reportedly developed stomach upset and parked near the Nkawie market to buy medication from a nearby pharmacy.

Moments later, he saw Frimpong allegedly driving the armoured vehicle towards the Nkawie-Abuakwa-Kumasi road.

An alarm was raised.

With assistance from regional MTTD motor riders, Frimpong was arrested at Mim, near Abuakwa.

Police Prosecutor ASP Albert Asagre asked the court to sentence him according to law after he changed his plea.

In passing sentence, His Honour Jephtha Appau said the court considered the fact that Frimpong is young and did not waste the court’s time after admitting the offence.

He was therefore sentenced to one month’s imprisonment.