Dormaa Ahenkro (B/A) March 1, GNA - A circuit court at Dormaa Ahenkro has jailed Kofi Kankam, a popular dealer in pork at Diabaa, near Nkrankwanta in Dormaa District for four and a half years for his involvement in the theft of 12 pigs.

Kankam, 20, was convicted on his own plea of guilty to two charges of theft separately levelled against him by the police at Nkrankwanta and Dormaa Ahenkro when he appeared before the court on two different occasions.

Chief Inspector Joseph Awutenga of Nkrankwanta told the court, presided over by Mr. Justice Vincent Carl Senu that on February 11, this year, Kwame Dagarti, owner of a pigsty at Yaakrom in Dormaa District detected the loss of two of his pigs, valued at 900,000 cedis. The prosecution said the complainant later had a tip-off that some young men were seen selling pork early that day at Diabaa, a near-by town.

Chief Inspector Awutenga said Kwame Dagarti alerted the police at Nkrankwanta who rushed to the spot only to find that the chunk of the booty had already been disposed of. He said upon interrogation, Kankam admitted having stolen pigs from a sty in Yaakrom the previous day but his accomplice, Mensah Eric, bolted with the proceeds from the sale of the meat upon seeing the Police.

The court ordered Kankam to refund the 900,000 cedis to the owner of the pigs after serving the sentence. The same court convicted Kankam to 18 months in prison for stealing 10 pigs from Richlove Afari's pigsty, also at Yaakrom. He pleaded guilty to the offence.

Police Inspector Kofi Owusu Takyi of Dormaa Police Station told the court the complainant's pigs disappeared from the sty on several occasions but he could not trace the thief so he asked some people to monitor the movements of the animals during his absence. He said on February 11 this year, the complainant had a tip off that Kankam and his accomplices had stolen the pigs. The complainant reported the matter to the police and Kankam and accomplices were arrested at Diabaa and charged with the offence.