Court Jails Unemployed Man for One Month for Attempting to Steal Police Armoured Vehicle
Court hands 26-year-old one-month jail term after psychiatric evaluation declared him fit to stand trial.
- 26-year-old sentenced to one month in prison for attempting to steal a police armoured vehicle
- Convict changed his plea to guilty after being declared mentally fit to stand trial
- He was arrested shortly after driving the vehicle from Nkawie towards Kumasi
The Kwadaso Circuit Court in Kumasi has sentenced a 26-year-old unemployed man to one month in prison after he pleaded guilty to attempting to steal a police armoured vehicle at Nkawie in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The convict, Ebenezer Frimpong, a native of Antwi Agyeikrom in the Atwima Mponua District, was arrested on April 15, 2026, after allegedly driving away with the police vehicle.
Frimpong initially pleaded not guilty when he first appeared before the court on May 5, 2026. However, during proceedings on Tuesday, July 21, he changed his plea to guilty after a psychiatric assessment conducted by doctors at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital declared him mentally fit to stand trial.
The psychiatric report, which had delayed the case for several months, was presented before the court, presided over by His Honour Jephthah Appau, who convicted and sentenced him based on his guilty plea.
How the Incident Happened
According to the prosecution, on April 14, 2026, General Lance Corporal Joshua Denkyi, a police driver, was transporting an armoured police vehicle with registration number GP 1131 to a workshop for servicing.
While travelling, the officer reportedly developed a stomach upset and parked the vehicle near the Nkawie Market before heading to a nearby pharmacy to buy medication.
Moments later, he allegedly spotted Frimpong driving the armoured vehicle towards the Nkawie–Abuakwa–Kumasi road.
An alarm was immediately raised, and with the assistance of Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) officers, the suspect was arrested at Mim, near Abuakwa.
Court’s Decision
After the facts of the case were read in court, Frimpong requested to change his plea from not guilty to guilty.
The presiding judge confirmed that he fully understood the consequences of his decision before accepting the plea.
Justice Jephthah Appau explained that the one-month prison sentence took into account Frimpong’s age and the fact that he admitted the offence, thereby saving the court’s time.
Police prosecutor ASP Albert Asagre had urged the court to deal with the convict in accordance with the law following his guilty plea.
