A fetish priest and two accomplices have been remanded in police custody for allegedly stealing communication cables. Kwabena Appiah Agyei (24), a fetish priest; Eric Kusi (20), a network installer; and Emmanuel Ampofo (22), an electrician, were arraigned before the Asante Akropong Circuit Court on charges of conspiracy, unlawful entry, causing damage, and theft. They did not enter a plea and will reappear on March 5th.
The case, as presented by Police Detective Inspector Alexander Agbekpornu, centers around the theft of Glo communication cables from a tower in Mfensi, near Akropong. The complainant, Friday Anwakpa, the Ashanti Regional Director of Glo Communication Network (Ghana) Company Limited, reported the incident after receiving a call about suspicious activity.
On January 28th, the suspects, disguised as engineers, allegedly entered the Glo tower premises. They were apprehended by police at the scene with four bundles of cables valued at GHS 240,000, ready for transport. According to the prosecution, Kusi, who resides in Mfensi, orchestrated the plan, calling Ampofo and Agyei from Tepa to assist. They allegedly climbed the 900-foot tower, causing GHS 20,000 worth of damage to the structure before cutting and removing the cables.
The suspects' caution statements reportedly corroborated the prosecution's account. Following investigations, they were charged and brought before the court presided over by Mrs. Philomena Asiedu. The case highlights the increasing problem of cable theft and the lengths criminals will go to in their pursuit of illicit gains. The involvement of a fetish priest adds an unusual twist to this otherwise straightforward case of grand larceny.
