Animal thief goes to prison again for stealing

Asamankese (E/R), Nov. 3, GNA - An unemployed man, Ali Baba who has a previous conviction for stealing a pig, has been sent to prison again for eight years by a circuit court at Asamankese for stealing four goats and two sheep.

Ali Baba stole the goats in November last year and when he was granted bail he jumped bail, but was arrested after stealing two rams in April.

He was initially arraigned before the Suhum District Magistrate's court but after a number of adjournments the magistrate advised that he should be put before a higher court.

Detective Police Inspector Osei Owusu told the court that during the early hours of November 20 last year, two persons detected the theft of two goats each from their pens at Amenase, on the Suhum-Nsawam road. He said in the afternoon of the same day three goats were discovered tied in the bush near the cottage and were taken to the chief of the town.

The complainants identified the animals as three of the four goats missing.

On the following day a visit to Baba's cottage revealed a quantity of steamed goat meat in a bowl that indicated that Baba had slaughtered the fourth goat.

Inspector Owusu said in the second case a farmer living at Budu village, near Suhum reported the loss of two rams and informed his neighbours about it.

Baba was arrested when he offered to sell the two animals to some cattle dealers.