Farmer arraigned before court over threat of death

A 39-year-old farmer accused of stealing 13 bags of rice belonging to a pastor whom he threatened to kill has been arraigned.

Kwabena Seidu, alias Agya Aboba, who is facing causing damage, theft, and threat of death charges, has denied them.

He was, therefore, granted a GH¢10,000.00 bail with two sureties to be justified.

The Pakyi District Court, presided over by Madam Dora Nsiah Jackson, ordered him to return to the Court on May 2, 2024.

Police Chief Inspector Christian Amartey told the Court that Pastor Akwasi Wusu, the complainant, was also a farmer who lived in Kemenkyire.

He said Seidu, the accused person and a farmer, resided at Pakyi No 2.

Chief Inspector Amartey said the complainant and accused were brothers farming on family land at Camp, a village near Pakyi No 2.

The prosecution said the complainant in October 2023 allocated a portion of the family land he farmed on to a witness in the town called Kadiya Halidu to cultivate rice for them to share.

The court heard that the witness had cultivated the rice, harvested the paddy rice after the cultivation, and packed it into sacks.

Chief Inspector Amartey said the complainant went to the farm to take his share of the paddy rice on January 19, 2024, at about 1100 hours, only for the accused to arrive at the farm to prevent the complainant from taking his share.

The complainant called a tricycle rider to come and convey the sacks of paddy rice for him, but the accused prevented him from doing so. In the process, he used a cutlass he was armed with to tear the sack, and the rice was poured.

The prosecution said the accused then dared the complainant that he would kill him if he tried conveying the sacks of paddy rice away.

He said for fear of his life, the complainant left the farm to the Pakyi No.2 Police station to lodge a complaint.

The court was told that the accused then conveyed the thirteen (13) sacks of the paddy rice away to an unknown location.

Chief Inspector Amartey said that led to the arrest of Seidu and in his cautioned statement he denied causing damage to the paddy rice and threat of death charges but admitted conveying the sacks of the paddy rice.

He claimed that a portion of the land belonged to him and that he hired a farmer to cultivate the rice.

After investigations, the accused was charged with the offences and put before the court.