Sand winner gets 2 years for stealing 37 cattle

A 38-year-old sand winner, who stole 37 Cattle valued at GH¢37000.00 has been sentenced to two years imprisonment by the Accra Circuit Court.

Ganiu Munkaila pleaded not guilty to abetment of committing a crime and stealing, but he was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment in hard labour for stealing.

However, the court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusuaa Appiah, acquitted convict of abetment of crime.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye, prosecuting, told the court that the complainant was a businessman and a cattle dealer (farmer).

The prosecution said the witness, Yakubu Usman, was a cattle herdsman to the complainant, while the convict was a sand winner, and a supervisor of the complainant’s herdsman at Kweikrom.

DSP Nyamekye said in 2013, the complainant entrusted his cattle business into the hands of the convict, following a recommendation to him (complainant) by Mallam Dramani.

The court heard that the complainant gave GH¢37,000.00 to Munkaila to buy 37 cattle to add to the 21 cattle already in his (convict) custody.

DSP Nyamekye said Munkaila collected the money, brought 37 cattle, but did not add the ones in the complainant’s kraal.

The prosecution said the convict asked the complainant to engage Usman to herd the cattle at Kweikrom.

DSP Nyamekye said the convict handed over only 21 cows to the herdsman instead of 58 cows.

The prosecution said the complainant asked Munkaila to meet him at the kraal for headcount of the cattle, but he (convict) did not honour the invitation.

DSP Nyamekye said the convict told the complainant that some of the cattle were not in the Kraal because it was in poor condition.

The court heard that the convict organised Sakawa, Ibrahim and Jael currently at large to rob the herdsman of six cattle.

DSP Nyamekye said the convict in an attempt to cover his involvement in the crime, included some herdsmen in the plot.

The prosecution said Munkaila informed the complainant that robbers had robbed him of 60 cattle and led police to arrest cattle herdsmen in the area.

DSP Nyamekye said the convict disclosed the identities of the cattle herdsmen to the witness before an identification parade was organised by the police. – GNA