A Hohoe Circuit Court has sentenced Olator Moses, an 18-year-old farmer, to 18 months in jail for stealing ‘akpeteshie’ (local gin) distillation pipes.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted on his own plea.

Prosecutor Chief Inspector Charles Aziati told the Court, presided over by Mr. Michael Johnson Abbey, that the complainant was a farmer who had set up a cottage on his farm, where he distilled ‘akpeteshie’ (local gin).

He said that on October 11, 2024, the complainant was at his cottage when the convict followed the farm worker of the complainant’s sister to the cottage and left.

Chief Inspector Aziati said that the following day, at about 5:00 p.m., the complainant went to his cottage and discovered that a thief or thieves had stolen the metal pipe from the tanks, valued at GH₵700, which the complainant used to distill akpeteshie.

He said that on October 14, 2024, the convict was arrested for another theft by some civilians and was taken to Logba Dzorkpe. The complainant, upon seeing the convict, interrogated him about the stolen distilling pipe.

Chief Inspector Aziati said the convict admitted that he stole the pipe, which led the complainant to officially lodge a complaint against the convict, who was already in police custody at Hohoe on a separate theft case.

He added that the convict was brought from cells, and his investigative caution statement was taken, during which he admitted that he went and stole the complainant’s pipe from his tanks and sold it to a scrap dealer at Hohoe Zongo for GH₵230.

Chief Inspector Aziati said the convict stated that he used GH₵90 for transport and spent the remaining GH₵140 on food.

He said the convict led the police to the shop of the scrap dealer, but the dealer was not present. The convict also led the police to the scene where he had stolen the pipe.