Tailor convicted for stealing from church offertory box

A 35-year-old tailor accused of dishonestly appropriating an unspecified amount of money from the offertory box of Star of the Sea Catholic Church has appeared before the Dansoman Circuit Court.

Moses Vincent, on a second occasion, allegedly stole an envelope containing GH₵600 placed on the Church altar.

Vincent was charged with two counts of unlawful entry, two counts of stealing GH₵600 belonging to the church and being on premises for unlawful purposes.

The alleged acts of Vincent were exposed when the Church’s Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) was played.

He pleaded guilty to stealing but denied the other charges.

The Court presided over by Halimah El-Abdul Baasit convicted Moses on his own plea on June 19, 2024, on the charge of stealing and remanded him till June 26, 2024.

The other charges were withdrawn.

When Vincent reappeared on June 26, 2024, before the Court and was asked if he still maintained his plea of guilt on the stealing charge, he responded positively.

The Court, in balancing the mitigating and aggravating factors, cautioned Vincent after a good Samaritan at the Court paid the money he stole from the Church.

He was ordered by the Court to sign a bond to be of good behaviour in the next 12 months.

The prosecution told the Court that the complainant was Chantel Agbenyo, a Security Officer at Dansoman, Exhibition Roundabout.

It said Vincent, the convict, claimed to be staying at the Arts Centre, Accra.

The prosecution said on June 14, 2024, at about 2010 hours, Chantel assisted by Thomas Wahab, head of security of the Church, arrested and brought Vincent to the Police Station.

The prosecution said the complainant reported that on March 20, 2024, Vincent was captured on the Church CCTV having entered the Church premises stealing money from the Church offertory box.

The Court heard that some elders in the Church came to the Dansoman Police Station to plead on behalf of Vincent and he was set free.

The prosecution said in May 2024, Vincent was captured again on the CCTV footage having entered the Church premises unlawfully and making away with an envelope containing cash of GH₵600, which was on the altar of the Church.

Vincent was re-arrested by the Police and in his caution statement, he admitted the offence.

The prosecution said the stolen money was not retrieved.

The Police received copies of the CCTV footage for evidential purposes.