Labourer charged with stealing plantains

Kade (E/R), Aug 19, GNA - A 35-year old labourer, Daniel Ackah, has been granted 800 Ghana Cedis bail with a surety by the Kade Magistrate Court for stealing plantains and plantain suckers.

He pleaded guilty with explanation and is to re-appear at the court on August 23.

Chief Inspector Francis Cobbina told the court the court presided over by Mr Abdul Majid Iliasu that, the complainant was a trader and farmer who resides at Kade whilst the accused was a labourer at the Oil Palm Research Institute at Kusi and resides at Adankrono, near Kade.

He said eight years ago, the complainant's brother bought a building plot from the accused family elders for the complainant and husband who were in Australia.

He said when the complainant came to Ghana about six years ago, she and her daughter visited the site and detected that the accused was farming on the plot and suggested to the accused that they enter into tenancy agreement but the accused refused and remove his plantain and cassava from the plot.

Chief Inspector Cobbina said four years ago the complainant engaged the services of a labourer to cultivate the plot for her and she started farming on it.

He said on December 23,2011 at about 8am, the complainant's labourer visited the farm and found out that someone had harvested three bunches of plantain and later the accused saw the labourer and told him that he was the one who harvested the plantain and upon that the complainant lodged a complaint with the Police.

Chief Inspector Cobbina said on May 10 this year the complainant visited the farm and found out that someone had harvested seven bunches of her plantain again and on June 18, the complainant visited the farm and met the accused carrying about 20 pieces of plantain suckers which had been uprooted from her farm.

A report was made to the Police and the accused was arrested.

GNA