The Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced 24-year-old small-scale miner Richard Arthur, also known as Afianga, to two years in prison for setting his stepfather’s single-room mud house on fire. The fire destroyed the house, valued at GH¢20,000, along with personal items worth GH¢50,000.
Arthur pleaded guilty to causing unlawful damage and asked the court for leniency. The incident occurred after a dispute with his stepfather, Kojo Donkor, over stolen rice.
Arthur, who had been using drugs and engaging in deviant behavior, became angry when confronted, leading to the arson. The destruction included valuable household items such as kente cloths, cooking utensils, and a mattress.
Donkor reported the incident to the Wassa Aboso Police Station. Arthur fled the scene after committing the act but was arrested on September 30, 2024, at a hideout in the Gangway community. A local youth, who had been informed about the incident, apprehended him and handed him over to the police.
During police investigations, Arthur admitted to the crime and demonstrated how he had set the house on fire. Following the investigation, he was charged with causing unlawful damage and subsequently sentenced to two years in prison.
