Tema, March 24, GNA- An unemployed man who stole items including Nokia mobile phone from a woman who was praying, has been fined two million cedis by the Tema Circuit Court "A".

Siria Ahmed pleaded guilty to charges of stealing and will go to prison for two years if he failed to pay the fine.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Adolphus Otchere told the court, presided over by Mr Charles Asiedu that on February 12, 2004, at about 8 p.m. Ms Abigail Naa Ankrah went to Sakumono School Park to pray with her church members, left her ladies bag containing her personal effects at one side of the park.

He said the accused, who has been stealing the bags of church members, who go to pray at the park, saw Ms Ankrah's bag and as usual, picked it. While the accused was leaving the park with the bag, some people who suspected him confronted him, and Ahmed took to his heels, but was chased and arrested with the bag.

Inspector Otchere said when Ms Ankrah finished praying, she found that her bag was missing, she was told that the bag, which contained the Nokia phone, book, and 31,000 cedis cash with the total value of 1.55 million cedis had been sent to the Sakumono police station.

Ms Ankrah followed up and identified the bag and its contents, and after investigations the accused was charged with the offence.