Labourer to serve five years jail term for stealing

Techiman (B/A), Jan.31, GNA- The Techiman Circuit Court has sentenced a labourer at the Techiman Central Market, to five years imprisonment in hard labour, for stealing 15 half pieces of cloth and a suitcase valued at 3.3 million cedis.

Kofi Derry, 28 pleaded guilty on two counts of stealing, while his accomplice David Dan-well a 32-year-old Barber who pleaded not guilty was granted 15 million cedis bail, with one surety to be justified and he is to re-appear on February 1.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Sampson Y. Jebuni, told the Court presided over by Mr Justice Erasmus Gyinae, a High Court Judge sitting at Techiman as a Circuit Court Judge that, about 0830 hours on January 7, this year, the complainant, Madam Azieyeelie arrived from Barbale near Wa to the market and purchased the items. He said the complainant left the items behind to secure a seat in a Wa bound vehicle.

The Prosecutor said Madam Azieyeelie spotted Derry carrying her suitcase away and raised the alarm. This compelled Derry to hand over the suit case to his accomplice who escaped with it.

Derry was arrested on January 14 and confessed that he had sold his share of the booty for 220,000 cedis. Sentencing the accused person, Mr Justice Gyinae said it was a warning to other criminals in the Municipality.