Begoro (E/R), May 27, GNA - A 24-year-old farmer, Ali Moshie, has been sentenced to nine months' imprisonment by the Begoro District Court for stealing a box of tomatoes valued at 300,000 cedis. Moshie pleaded guilty but his accomplice, Samuel Tetteh, 21, pleaded not guilty and was remanded in police custody to re-appear on May 31, this year.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector William Kwasi Nkrumah, told the court presided over by Mr Robert Djan, that tomato farmers at Obooho, near Begoro, had for some time now detected the rampant loss of their produce on their farms at night and decided to keep a surveillance. Chief Inspector Nkrumah said on May 22, at 0400 hours, Moshie was spotted carrying a box of fresh tomatoes and when confronted, he confessed plucking them from a farm belonging to one Mr Amfo Antiri. The prosecutor said he was escorted to the Odikro of the village and upon further interrogation, Moshie mentioned Tetteh as an accomplice.

The court also remanded Kwame Waye, 26, and Kofi Ofori, a 23-year-old carpenter, in Police custody on stealing charges to re-appear on May 31.

Waye was alleged to have stolen a box of fresh tomatoes valued at 200,000 cedis belonging to a colleague farmer, Miss Lago Atta Vida, while Ofori was alleged to have stolen a tape recorder and a video deck valued at 700,000 cedis belonging to Mr Isaac Coffie, a teacher.