Nkawie (Ash), Nov 4, GNA - Two friends, Kofi Ali, 29, and Ransford Cudjoe, 27, were last Friday remanded in prison custody by the Nkawie circuit court for stealing a pumping machine valued at five million cedis.

Ali pleaded guilty to the charge but his friend, Cudjoe pleaded not guilty and both will re-appear on November 9. Ali, who said he conspired with Cudjoe to steal the machine said they sold it at one million cedis.

Police Chief Inspector Robert Yitamkey told the court, presided over by Mr. Noble Nkrumah that sometime in August this year, Mr Sam Francis Donkor, director of Fante Poultry Farms engaged the two friends to dig a well on the farm.

He said a few days later, the two friends went back to the farm and asked for permanent employment and after their departure, it was detected that the pumping machine was missing. Chief Inspector Yitamkey said on October 23, this year, a witness whose name was withheld by the police, visited Mr Donkor, the complainant and during conversation, Mr. Donkor mentioned the theft of the pumping machine to the witness.

He said the witness Mr. Donkor that he saw the accused persons selling the machine at Abuakwa and based on this development, the case was reported to the police who arrested the accused persons and after investigations charged them with the offence.