There was drama at the Amasaman Circuit Court on Thursday when an accused person, fearing he would be sentenced to prison, fled the court premises before judgment was delivered.

Kwaku Antwi, alias Regan Ransford, reported at the court and confirmed from a court official that judgment was to be delivered that day.

However, when the matter was called, he was nowhere to be found although his lawyer had informed the court that his client had been around the premises for some time.

A warrant officer stepped out to call for him but he was nowhere to be found.

The court went ahead to deliver judgment but Antwi was set free unknown to him.

He had denied entering the rooms of the Dar-Salaam branch of the Yakman Marketing Company Annex, near Obeyeyie, to steal assorted mobile phones belonging to the workers.

Police Chief Inspector Frederick Ansah-Awuah earlier told the court that Ofori Appiah Ibrahim, the complainant, was the Assistant Manager of the company, while Antwi, the accused, was a trader residing at Ejisu, Ashanti Region.

The company sold fitness products, and on March 26, 2024, the accused person, in the company of two others, went to seek employment as a sales assistant there.

The prosecution said Antwi and his friend, Emmanuel, also known as “Lofty” were employed whilst the third person was refused the job due to her age.

He said most of the workers slept on the company’s premises, adding that on April 3, 2024, at about 0130 hours, one of the workers woke up to detect that his cell phone, which was on charge, was missing, the prosecution said.

He raised the alarm, prompting the other nine workers to also verify and detect the theft of their money, and mobile phones, including Infinix Smart 4, Tecno Camon, Honor 9 Lite, Samsung Galaxy, and iPhone 65.

The items stolen were an air-pod and Fujitsu Core 15 laptop computer, which were on charge in the other rooms.

Chief Inspector Awuah-Ansah said the value of the stolen electrical gadgets ranged from GH¢230.00 to GH¢4,500.00, belonging to the 10 workers.

They were Bernard Boateng, Ebenezer Augustus, Kelvin Sylvester Bambil, Lyanda Sarafadeen Abiodun, Dorcas Mabormor, Daniel Despite Uchechukron, Dorle Alice, Foster Oppong, John Pablo, and Samuel Britwum.

They suspected the accused person, who had left the house though he spent the night with them.

The prosecution said a formal complaint was made to the Amasaman Police and on May 11, 2024, Antwi was arrested at Ejisu and brought to Amasaman.

During investigations, he admitted the offences, including the theft of the Fujitsu laptop computer valued at GH¢4,500.00 but denied stealing the air pod.

Antwi confessed to selling all the items at Adum in Kumasi and made use of the proceeds, Chief Inspector Awuah-Ansah told the Court.

After investigations, he was charged with the offences and put before court.

Passing judgement, the court said prosecution failed to support its claim with evidence, and accused was not seen by anyone stealing the items neither were any of the stolen items found on him.

With the unlawful entry charge, the court said Antwi, together with the others, were at the company’s premises with its approval.