A 25-year-old fisherman, Emmanuel Laryea was on Monday convicted by an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly stealing goats within the Teshie community in Accra after he admitted to the crime.
He pleaded guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit crime and stealing.
The court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, however, deferred ruling on his sentencing to October 18.
Laryea initially was on the run but was apprehended by the police and confessed to the charges.
One of his accomplices, Samuel Tetteh, a 26-year old driver, who was the first to be arrested maintained his innocence on the charge of conspiracy to commit crime and stealing and was subsequently remanded.
The two other accomplices, one whose name was given as ‘Obama’ is on the run while Kofi, another accomplice was lynched on the spot by a mob who got wind of their nefarious activities and attacked them.
Narrating the facts, Prosecutor Inspector Dzigbodi Nego, told the court, that the complainant, Martin Akugre, a butcher who resided at Teshie Tebibiano said on September 11, this year, at about 11pm the accused together with the three others, used a Nissan Urvan to embark on a goat stealing expedition within the Teshie township.
According to Inspector Nego, they carried their operation to Teshie Tebibiano and stole two goats, a female and male belonging to the complainant and proceeded to Teshie Krobo but after a successful completion of their rounds they were confronted by an angry mob who blocked the road and attacked them.
Three of the thieves managed to escape including the accused but luck eluded Kofi who was lynched on the spot, damaged the vehicle used by the accused with two stolen female dead goats found in the car and three days later, investigation led to the arrest of Tetteh from his hideout.
When he was questioned he admitted the offence and mentioned the names of his accomplices as Kofi (deceased), Obama and Laryea.
BY NANA BENTSI ODURO