An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 26-year-old cleaner for stealing $5,000 from a lawyer’s office drawer to purchase personal belongings.
Linda Teiko Teye, charged with unlawful entry and theft, pleaded guilty.
The court, presided over by Isaac Addo, convicted and sentenced Linda to 36 months on each charge. The sentences will, however, run concurrently.
The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer, told the court that the complainant (name withheld) was a lawyer and resident of Haatso in Accra.
The prosecution said Linda was unemployed and resided at Teshie Mangoase in Accra.
Chief Inspector Lawer said the complainant had his office at Tse-Addo, where Linda worked as a cleaner in one of the apartments in the same building.
The prosecution told the court that on April 2, 2025, the complainant placed $7,500 cash in his office drawer, locked the drawer but forgot to remove the key, and went home.
According to the prosecutor, on April 19, 2025, the complainant returned to his office and discovered that $5,000 had been stolen.
The prosecution said the complainant reported the matter to the “Rasta” Police Station on the same day.
During investigations, the prosecution said the police gathered intelligence that the accused was seen spending United States dollars.
On April 21, 2025, the police extended their investigations to Linda’s residence, where she was apprehended.
The prosecution said a search of her room revealed many new items, including a bed, a mattress, a two-in-one sofa, a bedsheet, three dresses, a standing fan, a rice cooker, a blender, a duvet, an iPhone 6x, a gas cylinder, six ladies’ bags, pairs of footwear, and a kettle.
According to the prosecution, Linda purchased these items within the same period that the complainant’s money was stolen.
During interrogation, the prosecution said Linda confessed to the police that she monitored the complainant’s activities, noticed he hid his office keys on his office window, took advantage of this, took the keys, opened the complainant’s office, opened the drawer, and stole the $5,000.
The prosecution told the court that Linda further stated she used the stolen money to purchase the items mentioned above.
Chief Inspector Lawer said Linda refunded $500 as part of the money she stole from the complainant.
Source: GNA
