Kade, Sept. 13 GNA - Jacob Kportimeh, told the Kade District Magistrate’s Court trying him for stealing that he was 17 but the prosecutor told the judge that since Kportimeh registered for the 2008 general elections, he could not be 17.

The Magistrate, Mr Abdul Majid Illiasu, then requested the police to check for his actual age before the next sitting so when the prosecutor was asked for the results at the next sitting, the court was told that family members had asserted that Kportimeh was more than 21.

Mr Illiasu then asked Kportimeh how old he was and he replied that he was 22 and asked whether he registered to vote in 2008.

Kportimeh, who is unemployed, said he did but could not vote because he had relocated from his original place of residence.

The magistrate then imposed a fine of GHC 120.00 on Kportimeh who had been convicted on his own plea of guilty. In default, he would serve a six-month prison term.

The Prosecutor, Police Inspector Francis Cobbina, told the court that on August 16, at about 1200 hours Kportimeh stole a quantity of palm fruits valued at GHC 20.00 at Otum.

The items belonged to Mr Baffour Kwadwo Oppong.

The prosecutor explained that for some time, the complainant who had an oil palm farm at Otumi was experiencing frequent theft of his palm fruits.

He said on June 16, at about 1200 hours, a farmer sharing a boundary with the complainant saw Kportimeh picking harvested palm fruits in the complainant’s farm.

When the witness ordered him to stop he bolted with the quantity of palm fruits he had collected.

The witness shouted for help, which attracted a farmer from a nearby farm so the two men chased Kportimeh and arrested him but not without a fierce struggle.

He was handed over to the police together with the exhibits and in the caution statement he admitted the offence.

Magistrate Illiasu said he was dealing leniently with Kportimeh because he was a young, first offender and he also did not benefit from what he stole.