Begoro, Jan. 21, GNA - A 35-year-old farmer at Osubenbom, near Begoro, Kwaku Asante, has been sentenced to nine months' imprisonment in hard labour, for allegedly stealing a bag of maize belonging to a teacher.

His plea of not guilty was changed to guilty at the end of the trial.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector William Kwasi Nkrumah, told the court presided over by Mr Robert Djan that, on November 9, last year, the complainant, Mr Robertson Djikutey, reported to the local Unit Committee of his missing bag of maize costing 400,000 cedis. Chief Inspector Nkrumah said on that same day the Committee members apprehended the accused with the maize and when interrogated he claimed to have bought it from one Watako from a nearby village. He said when the Committee contacted the alleged seller, he denied it and the accused was escorted to the Begoro Police where the charge of stealing was preferred against him. Jan. 21, 06