Guard put on donkey patrol as punishment

The ruling came on the same day his employer, the Farmers’ Produce Protection Department in the Turgutlu region of Manisa, held an award ceremony for another guard who had caught two thieves and handed them over to the police. This guard received a single gold coin as a reward. The 54-year-old guard who was caught asleep at his post said he was at peace with his punishment, which has become the talk of the town in Turgutlu. "I made a mistake and I will pay the penalty. I will never sleep on duty ever again," he said. The guard will do his next week’s rounds around the complex on a donkey, rather than his usual motorcycle.

The head of the Farmers’ Produce Protection Department, Murat Ayhan, said it was natural to receive punishments and rewards at work. "One guard did his duty and ensured the thieves who were stealing the cables in the complex were caught," he said. Ayhan said the department is in charge of protecting an area of 10,000 hectares.

"Farmers’ lives and possessions are under our protection 24 hours a day," he said. "That is why I punished the guard who was sleeping on the job."