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Found at last …Man 63 jailed for bread tricycle theft
What started as a simple act of assistance on a roadside turned into an elaborate theft that has hunted a Kumasi bread baker for months and ultimately land a 63-year-old man behind bars.
Oduro Zakaria, bread baker, never imagined that accepting help from a stranger would cost him his livelihood. On that February morning in 2024, the hardworking baker had loaded his tricycle with 114 freshly baked loaves worth Gh₵1, 680, ready for his usual delivery to customers at the Adehyeman lorry station.
As Zakaria navigated the busy Kumasi streets, his unregistered tricycle worth GH¢35,000, suddenly broke down. In that moment of vulnerability, what seemed like divine intervention appeared in the form of Adamu Alhassan.
“I’m a station master,” the 63-year-old trader assured the stranded baker. “Let me help you.”
Together, the two men pushed the heavy tricycle loaded with bread to the Kejetia MTN roundabout. Zakaria, grateful for the assistance, felt comfortable leaving his precious cargo in the care of his newfound helper while he searched for a mechanic.
“I thought I had met an angel,” Zakaria told friends. An hour later, when he returned with a mechanic, both his ‘angel’ and his entire livelihood had vanished into the bustling crowds of Kumasi.
The crushing realisation hit Zakaria like a thunderbolt. His helper was neither a station master nor even a worker at the station. He had been expertly conned by a man who preyed on his moment of need.
For months, Zakaria searched the streets of Kumasi, hoping against hope to spot either his tricycle or the man that stole his bread and tricycle.
On August 28, 2025, one and half years afterwards, fortune smiled on the baker. A witness spotted Alhassan at the very station where he had posed as an employee, and quickly alerted Zakaria.
Alhassan was arrested and handed over to the Ashanti Regional Anti-Armed Robbery Unit with his caution statement taken.
He confessed to selling Zakaria’s GH¢35,000 tricycle to a scrap dealer in Bremang for a measly GH¢700 – less than 2 per cent of its actual value.
The 114 loaves of bread? He had distributed them to random passers-by, perhaps in a twisted attempt to play the generous benefactor with stolen goods.
On September 12, the Kwadaso Circuit Court, presided over by Mr Jephthah Appau, sentenced Alhassan to five years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to theft.
Police Chief Inspector David Opoku Kwabi, presenting the facts, painted a picture of calculated deception that exploited human kindness and trust.
For Zakaria, the sentence brings some closure, but it cannot restore the months of hardship he endured or the innocence lost in trusting a stranger’s offer of help.
Alhassan’s five-year sentence reflects not just the monetary value of what he stole, but the breach of trust that makes communities question the safety of helping strangers – or accepting help from them, an opinion leader indicated.
He added: “Sometimes, the most devastating crimes are not committed with weapons or violence, but with a smile and an offer to help.”
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
Local mattress manufacturers have raised serious concerns over the influx of substandard mattresses, warning that these products pose significant health risks to consumers and threaten the sustainability of Ghana’s mattress industry.
At a press briefing held in Kumasi on Tuesday, manufacturers accused unregistered foreign entities, particularly Chinese firms, of flooding the market with cheap mattresses made from polystyrene.
Mr Yaw Ampem Darko, a spokesperson for the local manufacturers, warned that prolonged use of substandard mattresses, especially those made with polystyrene, could result in chronic back pain, musculoskeletal disorders, poor posture, and diminished sleep quality.
These health implications, they stressed, were not always immediately evident but accumulate over time, especially among vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly.
This material, typically used for packaging, is considered unsuitable and unsafe for bedding.
According to industry leaders, these sub-standard products have been circulating for at least five years, gaining traction among unsuspecting consumers due to their unusually low prices.
“These mattresses are being sold at suspiciously low prices, luring unsuspecting consumers who are unaware of the health dangers.”
“We are not just protecting our businesses; we are protecting Ghanaian lives. The government must act swiftly to stem this tide before more citizens fall victim to these dangerous products,” Mr Yaw Ampem Darko stated.
The Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) has acknowledged the issue and, in response, announced a nationwide enforcement campaign aimed at clamping down on the production, distribution, and sale of substandard mattresses.
The campaign, which was scheduled to take effect from September 30, 2025, was empowered by the GSA Act, 2022 (Act 1078), which authorises the Authority to seize and seal non-compliant products and impose sanctions on offenders.
In a statement signed by the Director General of the GSA, Professor George Agyei, the authority cited Sections 29 and 43 of the Act, reiterating that all mattresses sold in Ghana must meet established national standards or face confiscation.
The statement further emphasised that mattresses failing to meet these standards not only compromise sleep quality but also contribute to long-term health complications, including spinal and neck pain.
Despite the GSA’s commitment, manufacturers have expressed frustration over delays in implementation and called for stronger enforcement mechanisms.
They urged the GSA to work in close collaboration with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and national law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute violators of Ghana’s quality standards.
Manufacturers are also appealing to consumers to remain vigilant and prioritise their health by verifying that any mattress they purchase bears the GSA certification mark.
Moreover, they caution the public against purchasing suspiciously cheap mattresses that lack proper labelling or identifiable branding, as these were often indicators of substandard or counterfeit products.
As the official enforcement deadline had expired with no show, the local producers insisted that much more than business interests were at stake.
They argued that without swift and sustained action, the health and safety of Ghanaian consumers would continue to be compromised.
“Public awareness, strict enforcement, and collaboration among regulatory bodies are essential if we are to protect the integrity of the local industry and the wellbeing of the Ghanaian people,” Mr Darko indicated.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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The Founder of the Raissa Child Protection Initiative, Ms Raissa Sambou, has urged authorities to impose severe punishment on individuals, including teachers and guardians, who sexually abuse young girls.
Speaking in an interview to mark this year’s International Day of the Girl Child (October 11), Ms Sambou condemned the increasing cases of sexual exploitation involving minors, describing such acts as “heartless, criminal, and a total betrayal of trust.”
She noted that those entrusted with the care and education of children must not be the same people who violate them, stressing that “anyone found guilty of abusing a girl child must face the full rigours of the law without leniency.”
The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually to promote the rights of girls, empower them to reach their full potential, and draw attention to the challenges they face worldwide.
Ms Sambou lamented that poverty continues to push many young girls into vulnerable situations, exposing them to exploitation.
She expressed concern that some headmasters, teachers, and community members who should protect girls rather take advantage of them.
“This must stop immediately. The safety of every girl must never be compromised,” she said, urging the public to report all forms of abuse to the appropriate authorities and called for swift action by law enforcement agencies against perpetrators.
Addressing girls directly, Ms Sambou encouraged them to take their education seriously and to believe in their potential.
“It is possible to be young and responsible. Your future is bright, protect it, believe in it, and never let anyone dim your light,” she advised.
She further urged girls to choose their friends wisely, stay disciplined, and speak up if anyone makes sexual advances toward them.
Ms Sambou concluded with a rallying call for collective action, saying “speak up, protect them, and empower them. Together, we can end the sexual exploitation of girls.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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