Court fines trader over 400-dollar dog meat

Accra, Dec. 9, GNA - The Osu District Magistrate's Court on Friday sentenced a trader to a fine of two million cedis over the 400-dollar dog meat case.

Awuni Asibi, who was charged for dishonestly receiving, pleaded guilty and the court convicted him accordingly. Asibi in default would go to jail for three months. The court also ordered the arrest of one of the three persons allegedly involved in the case.

Frank Obodai, a painter and Emmanuel Asante were alleged to have sold the 400-dollar dog for 20,000 cedis to Asibi, a trader. When the case was called, Asante, who was charged with stealing, was not in Court.

Obodai, who was charged with abetment of crime, pleaded not guilty but the court remanded him into prison custody. They are to reappear on December 13.

According to the Prosecution, on November 9, Mr Donald Lokko, an airline official, lodged a complainant about his missing dog, which he had bought for 400 dollars.

Mr Lokko, who traded in dogs, later had information that some persons were seen carrying a dog in chain to the seaside at Osu. He, therefore, followed up and saw that his dog had been slaughtered and was being roasted by the three suspects, while the chain was lying near by.

Mr Lokko reported to the Police, who rushed to scene and found Asibi and Obodai busily roasting the dog.

During Police interrogation, Asante confessed that at about the 0100 hours the dog entered his premises and he drove it away. Asante said at 0400 hours while he was jogging along the seashore, he spotted the same dog, which was very weak.

ASP Annor said Asante indicated that after picking the animal, he met Obodai, who told him that he knew Awuni as someone, who patronised dog meat so he sold the dog to him for 20,000 cedis. Asante said he took 10,000 cedis and gave the rest to Obodai.