Farmer jailed for stealing Dad’s tape and bike

Daniel Danso, a 22-year-old farmer, who stole his father's tape recorder and bicycle, was on Tuesday convicted on his own plea of guilty to nine months imprisonment in hard labour by the Asamankese Circuit Court.

Police Chief Inspector Ben Brew, prosecuting, told the court that about four months ago, Daniel befriended a girl in the village, Gogease, near Suhum in the Eastern region, where he and his father, Sampson Kofi Danso lived.

He said Daniel gave his girl friend GH¢30 during their courtship but when the girl became dissatisfied with his character she broke the relationship.

The prosecutor said Daniel then demanded the GH¢30 he gave her and kept frequenting the girl's house for the money where he also misbehaved.

The prosecutor said Daniel's father and some elders of the village later met the girl and her people over the money and she promised to refund it within a week but she failed to fulfill her promise.

He said Daniel then demanded the money from his father and when he could not refund it, he decided to steal his property to make up for the money.

He said about two weeks ago, Daniel's father locked his door and left for the farm, only to return to find that his window had been forcibly opened.

The prosecutor said when the convict's father entered the room, he discovered that his tape recorder valued at GH¢30 had been stolen.

A few days later, on his return from the farm, he discovered that someone had broken into his room and stolen his mountain bicycle, valued at GH¢35.

He was however informed by a witness that he had seen Daniel with the bicycle.

The father therefore lodged a complaint with the Suhum police and Daniel was arrested.

On interrogation he admitted stealing both the tape recorder and the bike but that he had sold the former to a hawker for GH¢10.

GNA