Cape Coast, Jan. 26, GNA - A circuit court at Cape Coast, on Thursday sentenced a 41 year-old fisherman, Samuel Abban to a fine of 2,000,000.00 cedis for stealing a she-goat which had recently delivered, and strangling it to death.

Abban pleaded guilty with explanation and will go to jail for 12 months in default.

The court also ordered him to pay 500,000 cedis as compensation to the complainant.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector David Darko told the court that Abban and the complainant Madam Agnes Bekoe, a fishmonger, live in the same vicinity at Anomabu.

He said on Sunday, Abban was spotted carrying a bag near the Police Station at A nomabu by an officer on duty who suspected him to be a thief.

He said the officer trailed and confronted him when he was about to board a Takoradi bound bus and when the bag was searched with the help of people around, a she-goat, which has been strangled to death was found in it and he was arrested.

The prosecution said when word went round that a suspected goat thief had been placed behind bars, the owner who had made a report of the theft to the police the previous day, went to the police station to identify the goat as hers.

In his explanation, Abban said he thought the goat belonged to his mother.