Tears flowed today at Nkawie Circuit Court in Ashanti Region after a judge handed a 48-year-old scrap dealer a 24-month jail term for stealing a waste bin.

The father of four, Mohammed Rufai, was arrested at Ashanti New Town K.O. where he was said to have committed the offence.

His arrest follows reports by city authorities that 10 out of 500 waste bins placed at vantage points in the metropolis have been stolen.

The bins were donated by Fidelity Bank to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) in support of the Clean and Green Project to keep Kumasi clean.

In some areas, however, the bins have suddenly disappeared amid public complains there are not enough waste collection containers in the city.

Mohammed Rufai was caught after he removed one at Ashtown K.O.

According to Luv News, Mr Rufai went on his knees in tears to beg the Court for forgiveness, having pleaded guilty with an explanation after he was charged with stealing.

"Please have mercy on me, I'm not a thief, I can say that to the glory of God. I found the waste bin on a refuse dump at the Race Course and I thought it has been discarded.

“I'm the breadwinner in my family with four children, please have mercy on me," he pleaded.

However, the judge, Michael Johnson Abbey, rejected his explanation and sentenced him to 24 months in jail.

In sentencing the convict, the judge noted that he considered that the accused was a family man but was angry that stealing such bins will only contribute to making the city unclean.

James Nana Prempeh, Environment and Sanitation Committee of KMA told Luv News, the judgement will halt or at least minimize stealing of the bins.

"For now we have identified more than 10 areas where the bins have disappeared. We are happy we have arrested one and the court has punished him to serve as a deterrent to others," he added.

"So far we have installed 500 litter bins which was sponsored by Fidelity Bank. This stealing of the bins is not helping the Assembly at all, for us to achieve our motive of keeping the city clean and green as we have planned."