Goat thief jailed for stealing and causing harm

Accra, Sept. 9, GNA - A fisherman who attacked a carpenter for raising the alarm after he had gone on a goat-stealing spree was on Friday, sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour by an Accra Circuit Court.

Annan Sowa alias Freeman charged with causing harm and stealing pleaded not guilty but the court found him guilty.

The case for the prosecution was that the complainants, Mr Michael Carthey and the Reverend James Sowah Cleland were carpenter and Reverend Minister respectively. Complainants and Sowa lived at Teshie. On May 27 this year at about 0300 hours Mr Carthey was visiting the toilet when he spotted Sowa carrying a sack in a nearby bush. Prosecution said Mr Carthey suspected Sowa of being a thief and therefore raised the alarm. Sowa threw the sack away and attacked Mr Carthey with a sharp metal and fled into the bush. Prosecution said people who trooped to the scene, sent Mr Carthey to the Hospital. When the sack was searched a dead goat was found in it with another lying in the bush together with a pair of slippers and a hat.

At about 10:00 AM, Sowa visited the area and he was apprehended and handed over to the Police. Rev. Cleland later identified the goats as his. 9 Sept.05