Two individuals, Abraham Asare, a former staff of Ghana Water Company Limited and Victor Moris, have been sentenced to four years each by Akuapem Mampong Circuit Court by Judge His honour Kwasi Appiakye Abaidoo.
Abraham Asare, a 52-year-old former employee who resigned from the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in 2022, along with Victor Morris, faced accusations of stealing 23 pieces of 8-inch ductile iron pipes, vital components of an active water distribution main line serving the local residents.
The arrest occurred in Larteh-Akuapem, Eastern Region, where the police, acting on a distress call, intercepted Asare and his accomplices.
They were caught loading the stolen pipes onto a KIA truck with registration number ER 587-20 around 6:30 pm on December 12, 2023.
Ali Musah and Paul Amoako, identified as a crap dealer and the driver of the KIA truck, respectively, pleaded not guilty. Consequently, they have been remanded to reappear before the court on Friday, December 22, 2023.
The estimated cost of one 8-inch ductile iron pipe is approximately GH¢13,000, resulting in a total value of GH¢299,000 for the stolen items. The severe sentences for Asare and Morris underscore the seriousness of the offense and serve as a deterrent against such criminal activities.
Kwadwo Daase, the Public Relations Officer of GWCL in the Eastern Region, emphasized that this arrest sheds light on broader challenges faced by the company.
These challenges include incidents of meter theft, removal of metallic covers for its chambers, and pilfering of electric cables from its plants. The GWCL continues its efforts to safeguard its infrastructure against these criminal activities.