Crime & Punishment of Wednesday, 6 April 2005

Source: GNA

Court fines fisherman for stealing fish

Elmina (C/R), April 6, GNA - Ekow Yawda, a 25-year-old fisherman from Ekumfi-Otuam, near Mankessim was on Tuesday fined 400,000 cedis by a district court at Elmina, for staling a quantity of smoked fish from a fishmonger at Elmina.

He pleaded guilty and would go to jail for six months in default. The prosecution told the court that Yawda was seen by some youths carrying a fertilizer bag in the early hours of Monday, around the Marine Park at Elmina, and became suspicious, they stopped him and when the bag was opened it was found to contain a quantity of smoked fish. It said the youths then escorted Yawda to the police station, where a fishmonger, who lives near the park, told the police that the fish belonged to her and was worth 250,000.00 cedis. Yawda told the police that the fish had been given to him by one Kwesi, but he failed to identify him or lead the police to him, the prosecution said.

In his explanation, Yawda again insisted that the said Kwesi gave him the fish.