An 18-year-old farmer, Olator Moses, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by a Hohoe Circuit Court for stealing equipment used in distilling ‘akpeteshie,’ a popular local gin. Moses pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted on his own admission.
The prosecutor, Chief Inspector Charles Aziati, told the court, presided over by Mr. Michael Johnson Abbey, that the complainant, also a farmer, had a cottage on his farm where he distilled akpeteshie. On October 11, 2024, the complainant noticed Moses visiting the cottage, following his sister’s farm worker, before leaving shortly after.
The next day, around 5 p.m., the complainant discovered that a metal distillation pipe valued at GH₵700 had been stolen from his tanks used for distilling akpeteshie.
Moses was subsequently arrested on October 14, 2024, by civilians for an unrelated theft case and taken to Logba Dzorkpe. The complainant, upon encountering him, questioned him about the missing pipe. Moses admitted to stealing it, leading the complainant to formally file a complaint while Moses was in police custody on another theft charge.
During questioning, Moses confessed to taking the distillation pipe and selling it to a scrap dealer in Hohoe Zongo for GH₵230. He stated that he used GH₵90 for transportation and spent the remaining GH₵140 on food. Moses then led police officers to the scrap dealer’s shop, although the dealer was not present at the time. He also guided officers to the scene of the theft, confirming his involvement.
