Mohammed Rufai, a forty-eight-year-old man, has been jailed two years with hard labour by a district court in Nkawie.
He was guilty of stealing a waste bin that belonged to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KNA).
Rufai, a father of four, admitted the charge in court and begged for forgiveness, however, his plea was thwarted away by the sitting judge.
Prosecuting, Inspector Stephen Amugbel, told the court presided by Mr. Michael Johnson Abbey, that on September 22, this year, Rufai was spotted by a KMA worker, Madam Eva Amoateng, at about 6.30pm, at Kejetia carrying a waste bin with KMA embossed on it.
Reports from court indicated that Rufai showed remorse and he pleaded: “Please, have mercy on me, I am not a thief, and I can say that to the glory of God. I found the bin on a refuse dump at the race course, and I thought it was discarded. I am the breadwinner of my family of four, please have mercy on me.”
The prosecution said the woman questioned Rufai about the dustbin but he ignored her.
Insp Amugbel said the worker raised the alarm and with the help of other people Rufai was arrested and handed over to the Assembly member of the area, who also took him to the police.
