A Circuit Court at Mpraeso in the Eastern Region, presided over by Mr Kwaku Osei has sentenced a 37-year-old herdsman to 25 years imprisonment in hard labour for stealing 80 cattle worth GH¢60,000.

Musa Layiah pleaded guilty.

The prosecutor, Detective Police Inspector Christian Apronti told the court that the complainant, Mr Addo Mintah, who have herds of cattle at Bitiku in the Kwahu South District employed Layiah to take care of the animals.

He said on May 30 last year, the complainant who detected that he had lost 80 cattle made a report to the police but all efforts to trace the where about of the herdsman failed.

The prosecutor said Layiah was arrested at his hideout and upon persistent interrogation mentioned the names of seven people who received 40 cattle from him.

He however failed to assist the police to trace his accomplices and after investigations he was charged with the offence.

He said Layiah later told the police that he sold 40 cattle and not 80 as being alleged by the complainant and prayed for leniency.

In his ruling, the presiding judge said Layiah had deceived the court in creating the impression that he would assist the police to retrieve the cattle he had sold, but in the end not a single animal was found and therefore sentenced him accordingly.**