HOHOE, JULY 10

A 53-YEAR-OLD TEACHER AT LIKPE-KOFORIDUA CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL WAS YESTERDAY FINED 200,000 CEDIS BY THE HOHOE DISTRICT COMMUNITY TRIBUNAL FOR STEALING a DUCK VALUED AT GERALD KOMLA YEBBI, who PLEADED GUILTY WITH EXPLANATION, WILL GO TO PRISON FOR ONE YEAR IN HARD LABOUR IF HE FAILS TO PAY THE FINE. PASSING SENTENCE, MR GEORGE KWABENA ADDAE, TRIBUNAL CHAIRMAN, TOLD THE ACCUSED PERSON THAT AS A TRAINED TEACHER, HE WAS EXPECTED TO KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS ACT. HE SAID THE TRIBUNAL COULD NOT RPT NOT ACCEPT HIS EXPLANATION THAT HE WAS Drunk AND ACCORDINGLY SENTENCED HIM ON HIS OWN PLEA. CHIEF INSPECTOR OF POLICE THOMAS KOFI NYAMADIE, IN CHARGE OF LIKPE-BALA POLICE STATION, SAID ON JUNE 12, THIS YEAR, THE COMPLAINANT, MR SIEGFRIED YEBBI, DISCOVERED THAT HIS DUCK WAS MISSING. HE SAID MR YEBBI, ACTING ON INFORMATION THAT THE ACCUSED HAD KILLED A DUCK FOR A MEAL, WENT TO the ACCUSED HOUSE to find THE CARCASS. THE ACCUSED PLEADED WITH THE TRIBUNAL TO HAVE MERCY ON HIM BECAUSE HE WAS DRAGGED INTO THE ACT BY "EVIL SPIRIT".