Court sentences trader to 15 years

The Takoradi Circuit Court “B” on Friday sentenced Slyvester Blay Aziane, a trader at Beyin to 15 years imprisonment with hard labour for stealing and smuggling rubber caplongs.

He pleaded guilty.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Seth Ahelegbe said on January 30 this year, Stephen Miezah, a farmer at Awiebo, and his workers gathered a quantity of rubber caplongs valued at GH¢18,700 on his plantation at Abi.

He said when Miezah and the workers went to the farm to collect the caplongs the following day, they were nowhere to be found.

Inspector Ahelegbe said Miezah made enquiries about the caplongs and was told by a witness in the case that while attending to nature’s call about midnight, he saw two KIA trucks on the rubber plantation.

He said one of the KIA trucks was found at Nuba near Half Assini and a report was made to the Police, who invited the driver to the Police Station.

Inspector Ahelegbe said when questioned, the driver said he was hired by the accused person to convey the rubber caplongs from Abi to the riverbank at Adusuazo to be smuggled to La Cote d’Ivoire.

He said the accused went into hiding when he heard the driver had been invited for questioning by the Police.

Inspector Ahelegbe said the Police sent wireless messages to all Police Stations for the arrest of the accused persons.

He said on June 26, 2011, the accused person was spotted at the Takoradi Market Circle and was arrested by the Police.

Inspector Ahelegbe said the accused admitted the offence in his caution statement.

Source: GNA