A 32-year-old unemployed woman has been sentenced to two years in prison by an Accra Circuit Court for stealing various items from a church located within the 48 Engineer Barracks in Teshie.
Amanda Pascal, a Nigerian national, faced charges of unlawful entry and stealing. She pleaded guilty to both counts, leading to her conviction by the presiding judge, Mrs. Basilia Adjei-Tawiah. The court sentenced her to two years for each charge, with the sentences set to run concurrently.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Abigail Offeibea, detailed that the stolen goods belonged to Veronica Owusu Boateng, a resident of the barracks and an emergency medical personnel at the 37 Military Hospital.
The stolen items included a deep fryer valued at GHC1,500, a Bluetooth speaker worth GHC3,423, 21 trumpet mouthpieces valued at GHC6,820, a perfume worth GHC586, and six tins of sardines valued at GHC200.
The court heard that the theft occurred on February 15, 2026, during a church service. The complainant was alerted to the missing trumpet mouthpieces and, upon checking her room, discovered several other items had been taken.
A review of the church’s CCTV footage was pivotal in cracking the case; it captured Amanda, who had been seen frequenting the barracks, entering the complainant’s room during the service and leaving with bags full of the stolen property.
Following a police report, Amanda was apprehended in the neighbourhood on February 17. Upon her arrest, only the deep fryer and the Bluetooth speaker were recovered. In her statement, she admitted to the crime, stating she had already used some of the remaining items and discarded the trumpet mouthpieces.
An unusual moment in court occurred when the judge inquired about prior convictions. While the case investigator mentioned a previous conviction at the LEKMA District Court, Amanda herself corrected the record, informing the court that she had actually been sentenced to nine months in prison by the very same Circuit Court.
Before delivering the sentence, Judge Adjei-Tawiah offered the convict a word of advice, urging her to use her time in custody to participate in the Ghana Prisons Service’s rehabilitation programs and turn her life around for the sake of her young children.
In a final plea for leniency, Amanda had asked the court for time, citing her preparations for an upcoming outdoor ceremony in March. However, the court proceeded with the sentence, emphasizing the seriousness of the offence