Miner, brother-in-law in trouble for stealing gold

A 27-year-old small-scale miner, who allegedly connived with his brother-in-law to steal gold worth GH¢30,000 from a gold-buying shop, at Nsuaem has been sentenced to 18 months imprison­ment in hard labor by the Tarkwa District Magistrate Court one.

Emmanuel Mensah, charged with conspiracy and stealing pleaded guilty. Mensah’s accomplice, Adu Quaye, is however at large.

Prosecuting, Sergeant Douglas Addae, narrated to the court presid­ed over by Mr Charles Owusu Nsiah that the complainant, Severin Mouity is a gold buyer residing at Nsuaem, in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, with the accused person living in the same vicinity.

He said the complainant owned a gold-buying shop, a few meters away from Royal Midway Hotel, in Nsuaem.

According to Sergeant Addae, on December 5, last year, the complainant received gold valued at GH¢30,000 from customers and kept the same in a drawer after the day’s work.

He said on December 6, 2022, the complainant reported for work only to detect that thieves had broken into his office through the ceiling and made away with the gold.

The prosecution said the complainant rushed to the Nsuaem Police Station and lodged a complaint.

Sergeant Addae said during inves­tigations, the accused person’s name came up and the police invaded his place of abode, but they were told he had traveled.

The court heard that Mensah went into hiding till luck eluded him and he was arrested by the Agona Police on September 11, 2023.

The Prosecutor said during in­vestigations, the accused person admit­ted that he stole the gold from the complainant’s shop with his broth­er-in-law, Adu Quaye, and they sold it for GH¢2,700 of which he had GH¢1,200 as his share.

He said the convict further said he went and sought refuge at Alabanka­ta his grandmother’s hometown, a community along the Dixcove road in the Western Region.

Sergeant Addae said the police have mounted a search to arrest Adu Quaye for prosecution.