Owner of stray pigs gets one million cedi fine

Tuobodom (B/A), June 18, GNA - A Magistrate's Court sitting at Tuobodom in Brong Ahafo on Thursday imposed a one million cedi fine on Kwabena Ato, a 35-year-old farmer at Koase, near Techiman, for not restraining his pigs from destroying property belonging to other residents.

He will go to prison for six months in hard labour if he fails to pay the fine.

Ato pleaded guilty to the charge of not taking adequate measures to restrain his 20 pigs from going astray as destructive agents to human property at Koase.

Mr. Yaw Ofori Ampofo, Environmental Health Officer of the Techiman Municipal Assembly, told the court presided over by Mr. George Kroffah Addai, that on June 16 this year, Ato's pigs strayed into some people's farms and destroyed yams, maize, cassava and also defecated indiscriminately in the area.

He said Ato had been warned several times to properly accommodate his pigs but he had not taken the advice.

Passing sentence, Mr. Addai warned that drastic measures would be taken against anyone who flouted environmental health rules and exposed communities to health hazards.

He said 500,000 cedis of the fine, if paid, should be given to the Techiman environmental health task force. 18 June 04