I stole because of hunger – Driver’s mate cries in court

Bismark Acquah, an ex-convict, has been sentenced to 36 months in prison by a Circuit Court at Dormaa-Ahenkro in the Dormaa Central Municipality of Bono Region for unlawful entry and stealing.

Acquah, a driver’s mate aged 22 entered a corn mill shop and stole grater machine for processing gari, a puller and an old mill plate valued at GhC1,465.00.

He pleaded guilty to the two counts and was accordingly convicted on his own plea by the Court presided by Mr. Osei Kofi Amoako.

Police Inspector (P/Inspt.) Joseph Danso Gyamfi, the prosecutor told the Court complainant was a teacher by profession living at Kyeremasu in the Dormaa East District of the Bono Region where convict is also resident.

He continued, the complainant who owned a corn mill shop in his house for some time detected theft of some spare parts of the corn milling machine and other valuable metals in the shop and therefore decided to watch in the night.

P/Inspt. Gyamfi said convict in an attempt to steal from the shop one night was sighted by complainant who shouted “thief, thief, thief “but the former fled, adding assisted by his son complainant chased convict but could not arrest him.

Complainant made a report at the Kyeremasu Police Station and convict was arrested that night, the prosecutor said and added that investigations revealed at about 1500 hours on Monday, October 03 this year, convict stole those items and sold them to a scrap dealer at Dormaa- Ahenkro for GhC40.00 

P/Inspt. Gyamfi said the items were retrieved from the scrap dealer’s place but he (dealer) was yet to be arrested.

Acquah pleaded with the Court for mercy, saying hunger caused him to steal and “it will not happen again”.

But the Court ruled he had not learnt any lesson for being an ex-convict and needed to be punished severely to serve as deterrent to others.

GNA