An unemployed man, Foster Nyarko, 36, has been sentenced to two years imprisonment for stealing a laptop from the Ministry of Labour, Jobs, and Employment. The incident occurred while Nyarko was at the Ministry seeking employment.
Nyarko pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful entry and stealing before an Accra Circuit Court presided over by Basilia Adjei-Tawiah. He received a one-year sentence for unlawful entry and a two-year sentence for stealing, to run concurrently. This means he will serve a total of two years.
This is not Nyarko's first offense. Earlier this year, he was jailed for stealing a mobile phone from the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, also while searching for work.
According to the prosecution, on December 4th, 2024, Nyarko visited the Ministry of Labour seeking a cleaning position. After being directed to the Human Resource Director, he proceeded to the second floor and entered the office of the Director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation. Finding the office unoccupied, he stole an HP laptop valued at GH₵24,745 from the complainant's desk, concealing it in his backpack before leaving.
Following an investigation, Nyarko was apprehended and confessed to the crime, revealing that he had sold the stolen laptop to an unidentified individual in Takoradi. The complainant, a lawyer at the Ministry, resides at Opera Square in Accra.
The case highlights the desperation faced by many unemployed individuals and the consequences of resorting to criminal activity. The judge's decision serves as a reminder of the severity of theft, even in circumstances driven by economic hardship. The repeated nature of Nyarko's offenses raises questions about the effectiveness of previous sentencing and the need for rehabilitation programs to address the root causes of such crimes.
