A 26 year-old illegal miner Mathias Kombatt has been convicted and fined GH¢ 1,200.00 for stealing an unregistered Haojin motorbike from "Monkey-yard".

The convict who pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing, in default would serve 12 months imprisonment in hard labour.

In a related development Andrews Partey, a 25 year-old motorbike mechanic, who dishonestly purchased the stolen motorbike was also fined GH¢ 600.00 or in default serve six months imprisonment.

The Enchi District Magistrate court presided over by Mr Eric Baah Boateng in addition ordered Partey to sign a bond to be of good behaviour for 12 months.

Prosecuting, Detective Inspector Joseph Kwadwo Agyare told the court that the complainant George Nkrumah is a farmer and lives at Ankaase while Kombatt and Partey are residents of Monkey-yard and Wassa Dunkwa in the Aowin and Amenfi West Municipalities respectively.

He said on June 2, 2020, the complainant visited his cocoa farm at Monkey-yard and at about 2300 hours on the same day, parked his unregistered Haojin motorbike in the house of one Kwame Appiah, a witness in the case and left for Ebikwawkrom to attend to his other farm.

He said in the early hours of June 3 Appiah woke up and realized the motorbike had been stolen so he quickly informed the complainant and they reported the matter to the unit committee members in the area.

The committee immediately suspected Kombatt to be the brain behind the theft, grabbed and sent him to the Police station where he admitted the theft and mentioned Gideon and Lela as his accomplices.

The Prosecution said Kombatt and his accomplices upon stealing the bike rode it to Wassa Dunkwa and sold it to Partey for GH¢1,000 Ghana where he made an initial payment of GH¢ 600.00 to them.

He said Partey in his cautioned statement admitted he purchased the motorbike for GH¢1,000.00 and deposited the above mentioned money with the hope that they would bring documents covering the motorbike for the remaining balance.