Court Remands Man for Breaking Into Lawyer’s Chambers and Stealing GH¢750,000
An Accra Circuit Court has remanded into lawful custody a 45-year-old driver accused of breaking into a lawyer’s office at Adabraka, Accra, and making off with GH¢750,000, in a case that exposes the vulnerability of professional offices to inside threats.
Theophilus Terkpernor, who had been employed as a driver by the complainant for approximately one and a half years, has pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful entry, causing unlawful damage, and stealing. He was denied bail and remanded into custody.
The court heard that on May 27, 2026, the complainant arrived at his chambers to discover that the office had been broken into and the electrical power was off. An electrician called to investigate found that the electrical cables at the control room had been deliberately cut by an intruder, deactivating the CCTV camera system. The complainant then discovered that GH¢50,000 kept in a container under his table had been stolen, along with a further GH¢700,000 from a cabinet in the office.
Prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Ebenezer Teye Okuffo, told the court that the complainant suspected his driver for the burglary and reported the matter to the police. Intelligence-led operations subsequently led to Terkpernor’s arrest on June 1, 2026, at the Standard Chartered Bank head office at Ako Adjei Interchange, where he was attempting to deposit GH¢74,400 towards the payment of a Toyota Corolla he had purchased.
The money was seized by police for evidential purposes. During interrogation, Terkpernor reportedly confessed to breaking into the office on May 27 and stealing GH¢330,000, a sum significantly less than the total amount reported missing. He told investigators he had brought the money home to Lapaz and given some to his son, Kelvin Terkpernor, for safekeeping at Somanya in the Eastern Region.
When police accompanied the accused to Somanya, his son managed to escape but officers recovered GH¢203,300 hidden under his bed. In total, authorities have so far retrieved GH¢277,700 from the accused and his associates.
The case bears striking similarities to other workplace theft incidents that have come before Accra’s courts in recent months. A forklift operator was similarly charged before an Accra Circuit Court for stealing raw materials worth $100,000, underscoring the persistent challenge of employee-related theft in both professional and industrial settings.
What distinguishes this case is the methodical nature of the alleged crime. The deliberate cutting of electrical cables to disable CCTV surveillance suggests a level of premeditation that goes beyond opportunistic theft. The accused’s intimate knowledge of the office layout, the location of cash, and the security systems, knowledge gained through his employment, gave him a significant advantage.
The case has been adjourned as police continue their efforts to recover the remaining funds and apprehend the accused person’s son, who remains at large. Terkpernor is expected to reappear before the court on a later date.
Image Source: GHANA BUSINESS NEWS
