Court fines two for stealing cocoa beans

A Tarkwa Circuit Court has fined two persons GH¢480.00 each for stealing 73 kilograms of dried cocoa beans, valued at GH¢470.00.

In default, the convicts, Augustine Asenso, a farmer; and Theophilus Nartey, a galamsey operator; would each serve six months imprisonment in hard labour.

Prosecuting, Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah, told the court that, the complainant, Abraham Wilson, was a purchasing clerk, who resided in the same vicinity with the convicts at Amanfrom, near Aboso in the Prestea Huni/Valley District of the Western Region.

He said the complainant worked with Trans Royal Cocoa Buying Company, which purchased cocoa beans from farmers, and stored them at the company’s warehouse.

According to the prosecutor, on January 23, at about 1100 hours, the complainant went to the company’s warehouse and noticed that 73 kilograms of cocoa bean had been stolen.

In view of this, the prosecutor said the complainant started his own investigations into the thefts and one John Mensah, a taxi driver, informed him that he saw Asenso and Nartey in a taxi with some cocoa beans heading towards Aboso.

Therefore, the complainant asked Mensah to help him locate their whereabouts, but he could not trace them,  so Wilson lodged a complaint at the Aboso Police Station.

The Prosecution said while the complainant was at the Police Station, someone informed him that the convicts were returning to Amanfrom in a taxi, consequently, they pursued them to their destinations and arrested them.

Upon police investigations, the convicts were found culpable of the offence and they were arraigned, accordingly.

Source: GNA