Two Kyebi Men Jailed Four Years Over GH¢1,400 Jackpot Theft
The Nsuta Circuit Court in the Sekyere Central District of the Ashanti Region has sentenced two men to four years’ imprisonment for stealing coins worth GH¢1,400 from a jackpot machine at a drinking spot in Kyebi.
The convicts, Emmanuel Agyei, 18, unemployed, and Kofi Sarpong, 21, a corn miller, both residents of Kyebi near Nsuta , were sentenced by the court presided over by His Lordship Simon Nketiah Gagah on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector C.K. Gyesi told the court that the complainant, Helena Durowaa, operates a drinking spot at Kyebi, where a jackpot machine is placed and frequently used by her customers.
According to the prosecution, the machine was usually filled with GH¢1 coins, which prompted the two convicts to hatch a plan to break into it and steal the money.
On September 26, 2026, at about 12:30 a.m., Emmanuel armed himself with a cutlass, and together with Kofi, proceeded to the drinking spot to break open the jackpot machine.
The prosecution said the duo initially attempted to break the machine with the cutlass but were unsuccessful. Kofi subsequently went to his house and returned with a pinch bar, which they used to force the machine to open.
After successfully breaking the machine, the coins spilled onto the ground. Emmanuel removed his shirt and used it to gather the money.
The prosecution further told the court that the convicts concealed the money in a nearby bush during the night in an attempt to avoid detection. Later in the day, they retrieved the money and hid it in the ceiling of Emmanuel’s room at Abutia, near Kyebi.
When the complainant arrived at her drinking spot, she discovered that the jackpot machine had been damaged and that coins amounting to GH¢1,400 had been stolen.
A witness, Oduro Stephen, reportedly informed her that he had seen the two convicts loitering around the drinking spot.
The matter was subsequently reported to the police, leading to the arrest of the two men.
During police investigations, both accused persons reportedly admitted to the offence in their caution statements in the presence of an independent witness. They subsequently led the police to Abutia, where the stolen money was retrieved from the ceiling of Emmanuel’s room.
However, when the recovered coins were counted in the presence of the convicts, they amounted to GH¢928, leaving a shortfall of GH¢472 from the reported stolen amount.
After investigations, the two were charged with the offences contained in the charge sheet and brought before the Nsuta Circuit Court.
The court subsequently sentenced them to four years’ imprisonment and ordered the prosecution to release the recovered money and the relevant item to the complainant.
