Farmer fined GHC7,200, faces three-years in jail for stealing Akpeteshie

A 24-year-old farmer, Dauda Ibrahim, alias Yaro, has been sentenced by the Nsuta Circuit Court in the Sekyere Central District of the Ashanti Region to a fine of GH₵7,200 or, in default, three years’ imprisonment for stealing local gin, popularly known as akpeteshie.

The complainant, Aduna Frimpomaa, had been trading in large quantities of akpeteshie for about two years and had repeatedly reported thefts from her stock.

In July, she installed cctv cameras at her premises in an attempt to identify the perpetrators.

On 19 July, the cameras captured Ibrahim stealing seven gallons of akpeteshie valued at GHC3,500.

The complainant reported the incident to the police, who arrested Ibrahim and recovered the stolen gallons from a receiver. Following an appeal by Ibrahim’s family, the parties reached an amicable settlement and the matter was resolved out of court.

However, on August 3, 2026, the complainant discovered that another 20 gallons of akpeteshie, valued at GH₵12,000, had been stolen.

A review of the CCTV footage again implicated Ibrahim, prompting the complainant to report the fresh incident to the police.

In his statement to police, Ibrahim identified a man known as Popolampo as his accomplice.

Ibrahim also led investigators to Ama Sarpong, who was arrested on suspicion of receiving stolen goods.

Sarpong admitted buying four of the stolen gallons from Ibrahim for GHC2,000, according to the prosecution.

The court subsequently ordered that the GHC2,000 recovered from Sarpong be handed over to Frimpomaa.

The court, presided over by Judge Simon Nketiah Gagah, ordered Ibrahim to pay the fine or serve three years in prison in default.