Woman Gets 12 Months for Stealing TV from Church in Military Barracks

A 24-year-old woman, Mawuena Tamakloe, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for stealing a television set from the Church of Pentecost (COP) Whistler Barracks Worship Centre located within the Teshie Military Academy in Accra.

Mawuena, an unemployed resident of Tema Community 2, pleaded guilty to two charges—unlawful entry and theft.

The Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Mrs. Susan Edufful, sentenced her to one year on each count, but the sentences will run concurrently, meaning she will serve 12 months in total.

According to Chief Inspector Clemence Takyi, who led the prosecution, the incident occurred on May 15, 2025, around 8:30 a.m.

Military officers on duty spotted Mawuena carrying a 50-inch Hisense UHD 4K TV out of the church. The TV box had the church’s name clearly marked, which raised immediate suspicion.

She was quickly handed over to the Military Police, where she confessed to breaking into the church and stealing the TV from an office within the church auditorium.

The police later confirmed that the inner wooden door to the head pastor’s office had been broken, and the TV was missing. Mawuena admitted to the theft in her caution statement.

Before sentencing, the court ordered a pregnancy test, which came back negative. However, while being escorted back to the police station, Mawuena attempted to escape.

She crossed a main road, boarded a public bus, and later switched to a taxi. A good Samaritan on a motorbike saw the escape and chased her down, helping the authorities to re-arrest her.

Chief Inspector Takyi informed the court that a charge of unlawful damage was dropped due to Mawuena’s explanation, and a not guilty plea was entered for that count.

In her final remarks, Judge Edufful said she took into account Mawuena’s young age, her status as a first-time offender, her guilty plea, and the value of the stolen item. She encouraged Mawuena to use her time in prison to reflect and reform.