Man Jailed Two years for stealing yam

Wamfie (B/A), July 28, GNA - A district court at Wamfie in the Dormaa East District of Brong Ahafo Region has sentenced a 43-year-old man, Kofi Asamoah, to 24 months imprisonment in hard labour for stealing 150 tubers of yam belonging to his sister-in-law.

The court presided by Kaakyire Atta-Owusu imposed a 400 Ghana Cedis fine or in default two additional years imprisonment on the convict, who pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing.

Police Inspector Daniel Boanyah told the court that the complainant, Madam Vida Gyamaa, was a petty trader at Amasu, near Dormaa-Ahenkro.

He said one day Asamoah broke into her room whilst she was away in the market and took away the yams valued at 450 Ghana Cedis. Inspector Boanyah said when the woman returned from the market and detected the theft she suspected Asamoah as the culprit and when she confronted him he admitted the offence and pleaded for mercy. When asked why he did that Asamoah retorted he could not fathom why the sister-in-law kept the yams in her room whilst he went hungry, the prosecutor added.

In another development, Kwame Kyeremeh, a carpenter, who allegedly defrauded a landlord of 2,000 Ghana Cedis under the pretext of supplying him with furniture, has been granted police enquiry bail in the sum of 3,000 Ghana Cedis with one surety of substance to be justified. The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The court presided over by Justice Vincent Carl Senu, adjourned the case to allow the prosecution to carry out further investigations. Chief Inspector Matthew Yeboah told the court that the complainant in the case was a self-employed man who was putting up a building in Kumasi.

He said the accused approached the landlord and offered to manufacture his wooden-doors, ward-robes and kitchen cabinets at the cost of 3,000 Ghana Cedis.

The prosecution said upon an agreement the accused demanded 2,000 Ghana Cedis as advance payment and was given same by the complainant. Chief Inspector Yeboah said the accused after taking the advance could not be traced again.

"A report was made to the police who later had a tip-off that accused was hiding at Tuba near Kasoa in the Greater Accra region", he added.

In a caution statement to the police the accused claimed he had given 1,000 Ghana Cedis of the advance money to a friend to provide part of the items in the contract, but this claim was found to be false as he could not mention the friend's name and work place.