The Wa Circuit Court has imposed prison sentences with hard labor in two separate theft cases in Ghana’s Upper West Region.
Presiding Judge Jonathan Avoogo sentenced Zakariah Karim to three years’ imprisonment for stealing a registered tricycle (M-24-UW 8757) in Kojokpelei near Tumu. Police recovered the vehicle following community tips and arrested two suspects, though one accomplice remains at large.
In a separate ruling, Sharif Kanton received a two-year sentence with hard labor for unlawful entry and theft in Bugubelle on July 11, 2025. Kanton was convicted of breaking into two rooms and stealing property.
Upper West Regional Police Commander ACP Peter Kamasa commended public-police collaboration enabling the arrests. “The command applauds community vigilance and urges continued partnership to ensure regional safety,” Kamasa stated in an official release. The police reaffirmed commitment to community cooperation in combating crime and delivering justice.
The rulings occur amid ongoing debates about property security and informal transport regulation in northern Ghana. Tricycle operators recently intensified calls for legalization of their sector, citing theft risks to their livelihood assets.
