Omanghana
A 19-year-old small-scale miner, Romanus Bangter, has been fined GH¢7,200 by the Tarkwa Circuit Court after admitting to breaking into a gold buying shop at Wassa-Nkran in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality of the Western Region.
Bangter pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful entry and causing unlawful damage. The court, presided over by Bernice Mensima Ackon, convicted him on his own plea and ordered him to serve two years in prison if he fails to pay the fine.
Presenting the facts, Assistant Superintendent of Police Joseph Lartey identified the complainant as Mathias Dagwine, a small-scale miner and gold buyer residing at Wassa-Nkran.
The prosecutor told the court that Dagwine closed his shop, situated along the community’s main street, at approximately 10:00 p.m. on July 17, 2026. After securing the premises, he returned home and went to bed.
About three hours later, at around 1:00 a.m. on July 18, a witness went to Dagwine’s residence to alert him that someone had broken into the shop.
Dagwine and the town’s unit committee chairman immediately proceeded to the premises. On arrival, they discovered that Bangter had cut open the metal container used as the shop and gained entry with the intention of stealing.
The two apprehended Bangter and handed him over to officers at the Aboso police station, where a formal complaint was lodged.
ASP Lartey said Bangter admitted the offence in his investigation caution statement. He subsequently accompanied police officers to the shop and demonstrated how he had carried out the break-in.
His admission during investigations was followed by a guilty plea when he appeared before the court, resulting in the fine and the alternative custodial sentence.
Source: Omanghana
