Man, 50, jailed for stealing three bunches of plantain

A Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced Dominic Owusu, a 50 year-old electrician, to five years imprisonment in hard labour for stealing three bunches of plantain.

The convict, who was recently released from prison for committing a similar offence, pleaded guilty to stealing.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Florence Tawiah told the court, presided by Mr. Justice Samuel Obeng Diawuo, that the complainant, Mr. Franklin Kwesi, is a security officer at a branch of the Ahantaman Rural Bank, at Tarkwa, while the accused resided at Aboso in the Prestea Huni/valley District.

She said on July 3, Philomina Baidoo, a food stuff trader, returned from a business trip late in the night and left three bunches of plantain in the care of the complainant, who was then on duty at the premises of the bank.

Chief Inspector Tawiah said the complainant placed the plantain under a table on the pavement in front of the bank and took shelter in the security booth.

She said at about 0400 hours, the complainant did not find the plantain when he went out to the pavement to look for it under the table.

Chief Inspector Tawiah said while the complainant was searching for the plantain, she saw Dominic in front of a shop opposite the bank with a loaded fertilizer sack beside him.

She said the complainant confronted Dominic and demanded to know the content of the sack.

Chief Inspector Tawiah said the accused, sensing danger, confessed that he stole the three bunches of plantain and hid them in the fertilizer sack.

She said the accused led the complainant and some witnesses to the spot where he removed the plantain from their stalks where they found three stalks there.

Chief Inspector Tawiah said the complainant, with the help of the witnesses, arrested the accused and handed him over to the Police.