Farmer arrested with copper cable wires, pistol

Tarkwa, (W/R), Nov. 15, GNA - Simon Cudjoe, a farmer resident at Teberebie near Tarkwa, was on Monday granted a 30-million-cedi bail with one surety on charges of stealing copper cable wires and illegally possessing an unlicensed locally manufactured pistol.

He pleaded not guilty to the two counts and the court presided over by Mr John Ajet-Nasam ordered him to re-appear on November 23. Giving the facts of the case, Police Chief Inspector Jonathan Adotey told the court that on October 29 this year, the complainant, a police officer stationed at the Divisional Police Headquarters at Tarkwa was returning from the Divisional Commander's residence in a taxi cab when he saw the accused standing by the roadside.

He said the accused flagged the taxi to a stop and asked the driver to take him to Government Hill, a suburb of Tarkwa to enable him to convey some goods.

Chief Inspector Adotey said the complainant who was in plain clothes became suspicious and prevailed upon the driver to accede to the accused person's request and take him to the place he wanted. When they got there the accused went into the bush and brought two fertilizer bags containing some items, the prosecutor said. The complainant ordered the taxi driver to convey the item, which he suspected to be stolen to the police station, he said. When they got to the station and the bags were opened police found copper cable wires cut into pieces and one hacksaw blade in the bags. They also found a locally manufactured pistol and two cartridges.

When questioned, Cudjoe told the police that he found the items when he was returning home from his cassava farm, the prosecution added