Goat thief remanded

Kumawu, (Ash), May 23, GNA - A circuit court at Kumawu has remanded a 35-year-old farmer for allegedly stealing a goat valued at 260,000 cedis at Bodomase near Kumawu in the Sekyere East District. Yaw Frimpong pleaded not guilty and will re-appear before the court on June 15.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Daniel Ntow, told the court presided over by Mr Frank Owusu-Afriyie, that on May 14 this year, Kwasi Aning, the owner of the goat detected the loss of one of his ruminants and decided to search for it.

He said in the course of the search, Aning had a tip- off that, the goat was tied at one Aggie's chop bar at Bodomase, so he rushed to the place only to be told that, one Osei Kwame, now at large, brought it for sale at 280,000 but the chop bar keeper had delayed payment on suspicion that Osei Kwame was not the rightful owner.

Due to the delay in the payment, the prosecutor said the accused, who sent Osei to sell the animal, went and untied the goat intentionally to sell it to a different person but a price of 150,000 cedis offered him was not to his satisfaction so he returned it to Aggie who promised to pay him the next day.

He said Aggie suspecting the behaviour of the accused went and reported the case to the Police who arrested him and in his caution statement Frimpong admitted having stolen the goat. Upon hearing of Frimpong's arrest, Osei Kwame, the accomplice fled and the accused was charged with the offence after investigations. 23 May 06