Accra: Yaw Asare, a head porter, has appeared before the Dansoman Circuit Court for destroying and stealing six metal guardrails at the Obetsebi Lamptey Overpass at Kaneshie in Accra. Asare, 48, was charged with causing unlawful damage and stealing metal guardrails belonging to the Ghana Highways Authority. He pleaded guilty with an explanation.
According to Ghana News Agency, the court, presided over by Mrs. El-Alawa Abdul-Bassiit, found Asare's explanation inconsistent with his guilty plea. Consequently, the court convicted Asare on his own plea and remanded him, deferring his sentence to June 23.
The prosecution stated that Adam Alhassan was the complainant, residing at Sukura, while Asare lived at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle. A few months after the construction of the Obetsebi Lamptey Overpass, it was discovered that the metal guardrail supported by offset blocks had been stolen.
In response, surveillance was implemented at the location. On June 9, around 11:30 pm, the complainant and his patrol team encountered a mob assaulting Asare. They intervened and rescued him. Information gathered at the scene indicated that Asare had removed six pieces of the metal guardrails from their offset blocks.
Asare was handed over to the police along with the exhibits and his shifting spinner tool. During interrogation at the police station, Asare admitted to the offense, stating he removed the metals to sell to scrap dealers. Efforts are ongoing to determine the value of the damaged metal.
