Man jailed for stealing a sack of cassava to feed hungry sister
CCF“I only stole my nephew’s cassava tubers to pound fufu for my hungry sister,” that was how Kobina Agyire began his narration during a conversation with crimecheckghana.org.
It however turned out that it was habitual of the 41-year-old man to be stealing from his nephew.
“I have stolen twice from my nephew’s farm,” he said.
The Ajumako Magistrate Court in the Central Region jailed him for six months after it found him guilty of stealing when he was arraigned before the court.
According to Agyire, he ignorantly stole from his nephew thinking he would not be arrested because they were related.
“My nephew had warned me several times, but I thought she would not cause my arrest. I ignored her until she got me arrested,” he said while he knelt to beg his nephew for forgiveness.
Agyire was fined One Thousand Two hundred Ghana cedis by the court which he could not afford resulting in his imprisonment.
Crime Check Foundation (CCF) met Agyire at the Winneba Local Prison during a working visit under its Petty Offenders.
CCF, with support from a US-based donor, paid Agyire’s fine for his release.
The Petty Offenders project
The Petty Offenders project seeks to give a lifeline to first-time offenders who are jailed for their inability to pay fines imposed on them by the courts.
