A 24-year-old farmer who stole money and a mobile phone from an ‘Akpeteshie’, (a locally brewed gin) bar at Odumase, near Tepa, has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment by the Tepa Circuit Court in the Ahafo-Ano North Municipality.

Abdul Razak is said to have taken advantage of the absence of the seller to break into her room to steal GHcC500.00 and a mobile phone, after she had just sold some of the liquor to him and offered him a bowl to eat his food.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted on his own plea by the Court presided over by Mr Michael Johnson Abbey.

Police Inspector Jonas Newlove Agyei, prosecuting, told the Court that the complainant, Florence Manu, was a farmer and ‘Akpeteshie’ seller at the Odumase village where Razak also lives as a farmer.

He said on May 10 this year at about 11 am, Razak and a friend went to the shop, bought some of the drink and asked for a bowl to eat his food.

Inspector Agyei said the seller, who was about to go to her farm, offered the bowl to the convict and left him together with the friend.

He said when the seller returned, she detected that the room, where she kept her money and the phone, had been broken into and ransacked.

The prosecution said the complainant detected the loss of her GHC 500.00 and a mobile phone valued at GHC 80.00, so she reported the matter to the Unit Committee members of the village and the Police at Manfo, a nearby community.

Inspector Agyei said in the course of investigations, the police had information that the mobile phone was with Razak.

He said Razak was subsequently arrested and during police interrogation, he admitted stealing the money and the phone from the room.