Ahmed Mohammed Lawal, a painter facing accusations of stealing electrical cables valued at GH₵1,035,500 from the Bank of Ghana (BoG) construction site at Ridge in Accra, has been denied bail by an Accra Circuit Court.
Lawal, who pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful entry and stealing, had his lawyer, Nii Martey Korley, appeal for bail on the grounds that his client posed no flight risk. Korley argued that Lawal was a resident of Accra Newtown with a fixed address, gainfully employed, and had cooperated with police investigations. He further stated that Lawal had spent over a month in custody and needed bail to adequately prepare his defense.
Despite these assurances, the presiding judge, Isaac Addo, rejected the application and ordered that Lawal remain in custody. The court’s decision came even though Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Augustin Kingsley Oppong, the lead prosecutor, did not oppose the bail request but deferred the decision to the court.
Details of the Case
According to ASP Oppong, the theft was discovered on February 16, 2025, when two complainants—Samuel Nii Tettey, a safety officer, and Davidson Mensah Otinkorang, an electrical engineer at the BoG construction site—noticed a break-in at the Energy Farm on the premises. A substantial quantity of copper cables (1c x 240 and 1c x 300 square cables) had been stolen.
CCTV footage from the site allegedly captured Lawal and two accomplices in the act of cutting and removing the cables. Investigations revealed that the accused and his accomplices had used a scaffold to gain access to the area, dismantled the copper cables, and sold them at Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
Lawal reportedly received GH₵2,000 as his share of the proceeds but has been unable to assist authorities in locating either his accomplices or the buyer of the stolen materials.
Prosecution Update
ASP Oppong informed the court that investigations were nearing completion. Although Lawal had refunded GH₵2,000, the stolen cables remain unrecovered.
Court Ruling
In his ruling, Judge Addo emphasized the seriousness of the charges and the ongoing investigation as reasons for denying bail. The case has been adjourned to April 2, 2025, for further proceedings.
This case highlights the security challenges at sensitive installations like the Bank of Ghana and raises concerns about the potential insider knowledge used in the crime. Authorities are working to recover the stolen cables and apprehend Lawal’s accomplices.
Story by: Mercy Addai Turkson #ahotoronline.com
