Elder of a community gets imprisoned for having stolen 14 bunches of plantains

Nana Opoku, a 43-year-old farmer and cum trader, was sentenced to prison for possessing fourteen bunches of stolen plantains in the Central Region's Ajumako-Enyam-Essiam near Mankessim.

Mr. Opoku, who claims to be a village elder, maintains that he did not take the food item.

He said that it was a conspiracy by the assemblyman for the region, Ekow Kwabena, to smear his name over a land dispute between them.

He explained that his situation began when he assisted another farmer, Okoto, with whom he shared a farm border, in carrying his load of fourteen bunches of plantain home.

Mr. Opoku stated that he felt compelled to assist his farming friend and abandoned his belongings on his field due to the justification his neighbor provided.

"Okoto told me he had been hired to gather palm fruits and didn't want to go home and return. "We agreed that I would sell the food item and pay him the next day," he explained.

He claimed that the next day, when he attempted to sell the food item to a customer, a mob of town kids led by the assemblyman attacked him.

This came after the same youth group approached him about the owner of the plantain in his hands, citing reports of plantain theft in the area.

"Okoto told me he had been hired to gather palm fruits and didn't want to go home and return. "We agreed that I would sell the food item and pay him the next day," he explained.

He claimed that the next day, when he attempted to sell the food item to a customer, a mob of town kids led by the assemblyman attacked him.

This came after the same youth group approached him about the owner of the plantain in his hands, citing reports of plantain theft in the community.

"At first, they stated they wanted to come to my land to see if I grew plantains. However, the assemblyman was aware of my situation.

However, the assemblyman was aware of my plantain farm, from which he had previously gathered some. "We couldn't go since it was raining."

"I thought the problem was solved until they jumped on me in my house and snatched my handbag and phone," he alleged.

Mr. Opoku claimed Kwabena was behind the instigation against him because they disagreed over a tract of land he claimed belonged to him, but the "honorable" guy was using his influence to illegally lay claim to the land.

He said that the assemblyman reported him to the police, which led to his detention.

Mr. Opoku claimed Kwabena conspired with Okoto to deny providing him any plantains to sell during the investigation.

The 'innocent' man claimed he was promptly tried in court and sentenced to seven months in prison for failing to pay a 720 Ghana cedi fine.