Farmer jailed for stealing

Accra, May 6, GNA- A Circuit Court in Accra on Thursday jailed 27-year-old farmer, two years with hard labour for receiving 1,590 pounds sterling stolen by his brother in law, Divine Okumah. Yaw Adjei, charged with dishonestly receiving and stealing pleaded guilty.

Okumah, 16, also pleaded guilty to stealing 1,590 pounds sterling but the court asked that he should be sent to the juvenile court. It further ordered that the amount retrieved from the accused persons be given back to the complainant Mrs. Mary Kwapong, a retired Senior Police officer.

Police Chief Inspector Rebecca Nugbemado told court, presided over by Mrs Elizabeth Ankomah that in November last year, the complainant adopted Okumah as house help in her house.

Okumah began stealing things from the complainant's relations and his conduct was reported to a friend whom he had stayed with. Prosecution said in March this year, Adjei came to inform the complainant that Okumah's grandmother was dead and therefore took him away.

Adjei and Okumah left for Nkonya Wurumpong and soon after, the complainant detected that 1,590 pounds sterling had been stolen in her bedroom.

The complainant reported the matter to the police. During investigations, the police proceeded to Nkonya Wurumpong and arrested them.

Okumah admitted stealing the money and stated that he only took 10 pounds, which he used to purchase yoghurt and a "Walkman"0 but gave the remaining amount to Adjei.

An amount of 1,125 pounds and 800,000 cedis were retrieved from Adjei when he was searched.