Plantain thief fined one million cedis

Asamankese (E/R), Sept. 6, GNA - The Asamankese Circuit Court has fined a 35-year-old farmer, Yaw Boi one million cedis for stealing a bunch of plantain valued at 40,000 cedis.

Boi, who pleaded guilty, will go to prison for six months in hard labour if he failed to pay the fine.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Joseph Idan, told the court that the complainant, Mr Asiedu Som, who had a farm at Abukyensu near Asamankese, where the accused lived, experienced series of thefts of his plantain and all efforts to apprehend the culprit or culprits proved futile.

He said Mr Som decided to watch the farm at night in the hope of succeeding and on August 22, this year, at about 1900 hours, he heard an unusual noise from one end of the farm and rushed there and saw Boi holding a freshly harvested bunch of plantain. On seeing the farm owner, Boi abandoned the bunch and took to his heels but Som reported Boi to the neighbourhood watch committee and with their assistance, succeeded in arresting Boi and handed over to the Asamankese police.