Watchman admits he stole ‘a wrong goat’

Awuni Frafra, a night watchman, pleaded with police to pardon him for stealing "the wrong goat", when he was told that the animal belonged to the supervising High Court judge at Sunyani, Brong Ahafo regional capital.

Awuni, also called "Bombay," was however, remanded in custody when he appeared before a Circuit Court at Sunyani, on Tuesday. He pleaded not guilty to stealing the goat valued at 250,000 cedis and will be brought before the court again on November 20.

A butcher at Sunyani Zongo who allegedly bought the stolen goat for 90,000 cedis was reported to have fled his home on the approach of some policemen Awuni was leading to retrieve the goat, just in time before it could be sent for slaughter. Police have mounted a search for the butcher, whose name was only given as Kobila.

Inspector K. Baafi told the court that Mr Justice P. K. Gyaesayor, the Supervising High Court judge, on a routine inspection of his pen in the morning on November 11, this year, realised to his shock that a he-goat he had castrated and was fattening for Christmas had vanished.

He said the judge reported the matter to the Police. That was his fifth animal that had been stolen in two weeks. The prosecutor said Awuni was arrested the same day and upon interrogation he admitted the offence and led Police to a house at Sunyani Zongo to retrieve the animal.