A Magistrate's Court at Tuobodom in the Techiman Municipality in Brong Ahafo has sentenced a 24 year old porter to 18 months imprisonment in hard labour for stealing mobile phones.
Hadi Nuhu, a porter at the Techiman Central Market, pleaded guilty to stealing two mobile phones valued at 150 Ghana cedis, belonging to Anaba Azure, a Kumasi-based trader.
Prosecuting, Police Sergeant David Alhassan, told the court presided by Mr. Issah Abdul Wahab, that on July 24 this year, Hadi cut the pocket of Anaba, who was fast asleep at the Techiman Wa Lorry Station and took his Nokia and Motorola mobile phones.
Some eye witnesses however raised the alarm and after a hot chase, Hadi was arrested and handed over to the police where he admitted the offence and pleaded for forgiveness.
Passing sentence, Mr Wahab noted with dismay the increasing phone thefts in the municipality and warned that the court would not deal leniently with such cases.
The court also sentenced Sule, a 19 year-old farmer from Nsuta, to 18 months imprisonment in hard labour for stealing a single barrel gun and cash of GH¢ 25.00 belonging to Yaw Adamu, a farmer at Akokobenumusuo.
He pleaded guilty to unlawful entry and stealing and was sentenced on his own plea.
Prosecuting, Police Sergeant Alhassan told the court that on Monday May 28, the accused took advantage of the absence of the complainant and broke into his bedroom and took the gun and the money.
He said Adamu, on his return from the farm, detected the theft adding that he had information that the accused had been arrested by the Nsuta Unit Committee Members with a single barrel gun the following day.
Sergeant Alhassan said Adamu went back home and brought the receipts covering the gun to the committee members and that the accused was sent to the Techiman Police Station and upon interrogation admitted the offence.
The same court fined six occupants at Guakro, suburb of Techiman, GH¢ 48.00 each for exposing human excreta at their residence.
The six, whose names were given only as Memuna, Nma, Anti Akosua, Duba, Adisa and Zina pleaded guilty to the offence and in default, would go to jail for three months each in hard labour.
Presenting the facts of the case, Mr. John Asamani, Techiman Municipal Principal Environmental Assistant, told the court that on June 17, this year, officials of the Environmental Health Division on their usual rounds detected exposed human excreta at various parts Madam Memuna's house, the landlady.
Mr Asamani told the court flies had engulfed the area causing environmental hazard which could result in an outbreak of diseases.
Passing sentence, Mr. Wahab noted with concern that the havoc did not only harm the tenant but also others around the area and warned the general public to desist from such environmental hazards.