Asamankese, Sept. 19, GNA - Desmond Yaw Appiah, unemployed, who stole three goats valued at one million cedis belonging to a 65-year-old woman, has been sentenced two weeks in jail and fined three million cedis by the Asamankese Circuit Court.

Appiah, who pleaded guilty, will serve additional 12 months in jail if he failed to pay the fine.

Police Chief Inspector G. D. Bruce prosecuting, said Madam Adwoa Semaglo, who reared goats at Anweam, in the Kwaebibirem District, woke up on August 20 to find three of the animals missing. Luckily for her, the thief who took them to a neighbouring town, was arrested in the early hours of that day.

The Prosecutor explained that Appiah, who lived at Okumaning, arrived at Anweam on August 19 and slept on someone's veranda. He said at about 0200 hours, Appiah went to Adwoa's house where he stole the goats and later took the goats to Otumi, where a witness in the case asked him where he was taking the goats to and he replied that he was taking them to Kade.

But when the witness advanced towards Appiah, he abandoned the animals and took to his heels making the witness to raise alarm and with the help of neighbours, Appiah, who had managed to change his clothes to outwit his pursuers was identified and arrested. Appiah admitted stealing the goats at Anweam and a message was therefore sent to that town and Adwoa went to identify the animals as belonging to her.