A 32-year-old electrician has been sentenced to four years in prison after admitting to breaking into a licensed gold buyer’s shop at Wassa Akropong in the Western Region and stealing gold concentrate worth GH¢100,000 and GH¢20,000 in cash.
Mohammed Ibrahim, also known as Ahmed, committed the offence with an accomplice identified as Karikari, alias KK, who is currently at large.
The incident occurred around midnight on May 20, 2026, at Kingdom Gold Shop, where the two men allegedly broke through a side wall to gain access to the premises.
Ibrahim and Karikari were jointly charged with conspiracy to commit crime, to wit stealing, unlawful entry and causing unlawful damage.
Ibrahim faced additional charges of possessing an instrument intended or adapted for unlawful entry and stealing.
He pleaded guilty to all the charges except the possession charge. The Tarkwa Circuit Court, presided over by Victoria Vera Akonu, convicted him on his plea and sentenced him accordingly.
Following the conviction, the prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Samuel Ahiabor, withdrew the possession charge.
The court heard that the complainant, Kingdom Mantey, was the manager of Kingdom Gold Shop and lived close to the premises.
According to the prosecution, Ibrahim and Karikari were friends and both lived in Wassa Akropong.
On the morning of May 20, Mantey went to the shop and discovered that part of the building had been broken into.
When he entered the premises, he found that an unspecified quantity of gold concentrate, locally known as “black”, valued at GH¢100,000, had been stolen. The thieves had also taken GH¢20,000 in cash.
CCTV cameras installed around the shop captured Ibrahim and Karikari during the operation.
Mantey subsequently reported the incident to the police, prompting an investigation by the Western Central Police Intelligence Directorate in Tarkwa.
After sustained intelligence-led investigations, officers arrested Ibrahim at his hideout in Wassa Japa. A hammer was also retrieved from him.
During interrogation, Ibrahim admitted his involvement and identified Karikari as his accomplice.
He told investigators that the pair used a hammer to break through the side wall of the shop before he entered through the opening.
According to his account, Karikari remained outside while he went into the shop and handed the stolen items to him.
Ibrahim reportedly told police that he removed quantities of gold concentrate, placed them in a sack and handed the sack to Karikari, who was waiting outside.
The prosecution further told the court that Ibrahim said they later took the stolen gold home before transporting it the following day to a ghetto at Wassa Japa, where they intended to process and sell it.
However, the plan reportedly ended when two people identified as Gawu and Onane allegedly robbed them of the gold concentrate while they were at the ghetto.
With Ibrahim now sentenced to four years in prison, police efforts remain focused on locating his alleged accomplice, Karikari, who is still at large.
