Kade, Jan. 9, GNA - Solomon Afar, unemployed, was on Friday sentence= d to a fine of GH¢360.00 for stealing items valued at GH¢200. He pleaded guilty and attributed his action to satanic influence. Failure to pay the fine would earn him 12 months in prison in hard labour.

Police Inspector D.T. Nartey, prosecuting, told the court that the complainant, Kwaku Yeboah, lived in the family house of Afar at Akwatia. He said Afar, however, had no permanent place of abode and often liv= ed with friends at Akwatia.

The prosecutor said on December 09 last year, the complainant took h= is car to a workshop for maintenance leaving his wife at home. At about 1000 hours, the wife suddenly fell sick and left for the hospital for treatment but was admitted.

Inspector Nartey said at about 1400 hours, Afar, who was loitering about in the area, noticed that both Yeboah and his wife were absent and took advantage to break into their room. The prosecutor said Afar stole one 14-inch Samsung colour television=

set valued at GH¢60.00, a sound system valued at GH¢50.00, a GH¢50.= 00 Motorola mobile phone and a necklace costing GH¢30.00. Inspector Nartey said in the attempt to search for more items to ste= al, luck eluded Afar when the complainant, who was returning home, caught him= in the act. When the complainant questioned Afar about his presence in the room,=

Afar could not answer but instead attempted to attack the complainant. The complainant, however, raised the alarm and neighbours came to hi= s aid and arrested Afar and sent him to the police station. Afar in his caution statement admitted the offence.