Pick-Pocket begins 19th prison sentence

Accra (Greater Accra Region) 15 Oct '98

Accra (Greater Accra Region) 15 Oct '98 Ghana prison does not reform people, at least so it seems in the case of Kwesi Ackom, a farmer who has been in and out of prison 18 times. Today, he embarked on his 19th prison term when a community tribunal sentenced him to 12 months' for stealing and assault. Ackom, 47, pleaded guilty to both charges and the sentence will run consecutively. The community tribunal was told that Ackom, who began stealing in 1959, was last jailed 36 months by a Sunyani High Court for stealing. Police Sergeant Grace Forson told the tribunal that the complainant in this case, Lieutenant Kojo Arkorful, boarded a 'trotro' from Madina to Kwashieman in Accra on August 17. She said on reaching the Military Hospital, Lt Arkorful realised that 22,000 cedis he had in his breast pocket had been picked. According to the prosecution, when Lt Arkorful confronted Ackom, who was sitting behind him, he quickly threw the money down and punched the soldier in the left eye for wrongful accusation. Passengers who saw the accused throw away the money pleaded with the driver to send the accused to the Nima Police station. The prosecutor said Lt Arkorful, who was bleeding from a cut in the eye, was later given treatment at the Military Hospital. GRi