Two brothers from Agona Kwaman have been sentenced to prison after removing a car battery from a vehicle involved in a fatal accident, in a case that has reignited public warnings about theft at accident scenes.
The convicts, Emmanuel Ghartey, 25, a chainsaw operator, and Bernard Ghartey, 23, a commercial tricycle operator, were each sentenced to six months’ imprisonment after failing to pay fines of GH¢1,500 apiece.
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In an interview with Crime Check, the brothers explained that they were among a group of local youth mobilised to assist at the scene of a truck accident at Agona Kwaman, where the driver tragically lost his life.
According to them, their initial presence at the scene was purely to help rescue the victim.
They said that three days later, believing the damaged vehicle had been abandoned as scrap, they returned to the accident site and removed the truck’s battery, which they claimed was already damaged.
However, information about their intentions reportedly reached the elders of Agona Kwaman, who instructed some volunteers to monitor their movements.
The brothers said they later became aware they were being watched and subsequently abandoned their plan, returning to town. Despite this, the elders reported the matter to the police. During interrogation, the siblings admitted to removing the battery.
Even though the owner of the vehicle reportedly appealed for leniency, the two were arrested, arraigned before the court, and sentenced after defaulting on the payment of the fines imposed.
After serving one month and eleven days in prison, the brothers regained their freedom when the Crime Check Foundation, with support from a group donor, Ghana Unity Club, paid the fines on their behalf.
The case serves as a strong reminder from authorities and civil society groups that taking any item from an accident vehicle without authorisation constitutes theft, regardless of intent or circumstance.
