Man Jailed 25 Months for Burning 3 Cars Worth GH¢195,000 at Mechanic Shop

• The Accra Circuit Court 10 convicted Emmanuel Lewis Ebuka on three counts of unlawful damage after he set fire to vehicles at a mechanic workshop
• Ebuka reportedly returned to the workshop at midnight and smoked inside a parked Chrysler Voyager before the blaze spread to other vehicles
• Three cars valued at a combined GH¢195,000 were completely destroyed in the fire, with a fourth vehicle partially damaged

The Accra Circuit Court 10 has handed a 35-year-old unemployed man a 25-month prison sentence with hard labour after he was found responsible for burning down three vehicles at a mechanic's workshop, causing losses totalling GH¢195,000.

Emmanuel Lewis Ebuka, who had denied any wrongdoing, was convicted on three counts of unlawful damage. The court ordered that the sentences on each count run concurrently.

Police Chief Inspector Clement Takyi, presenting the prosecution's case, told the court that the complainant, Mr Joshua Nii Kuntso Alabi, operates an auto mechanic business at Teshie Fertilizer in Accra and resides at Nungua.

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GNA reported that workers at the workshop had previously spotted Ebuka sleeping inside one of the parked vehicles and ordered him to leave, warning him not to come back.

Despite that warning, Ebuka returned to the premises at around midnight on August 8, 2025.

He entered a Chrysler Voyager bearing registration number GT 242 Z and smoked inside it. He then allegedly discarded the cigarette within the vehicle, which ignited a fire.

Upon realising he had been spotted, Ebuka fled the scene.

The blaze quickly spread beyond the Chrysler Voyager, engulfing a Ford Ranger pickup with registration number GW 2615 R, a Toyota 4Runner with registration number GS 1990 Z, and partially damaging a Toyota Tacoma pickup with registration number GC 1421-10.

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The complainant and his staff made efforts to contain the fire before personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service arrived.

Despite their intervention, the Chrysler Voyager, Ford Ranger and Toyota 4Runner were completely destroyed.

The three vehicles were valued at GH¢75,000, GH¢40,000 and GH¢80,000 respectively.

Chief Inspector Takyi told the court that Ebuka was subsequently arrested and acknowledged his involvement in the incident in a caution statement.

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He was then formally charged and brought before the court, which convicted and sentenced him following the trial.

Source: YEN.com.gh