Farmer jailed five years for smuggling fertilizer to Togo

Gameli Agbavor, a farmer, 50, has been jailed five years in prison by an Aflao Circuit Court for smuggling 25 bags of fertilizer to the Republic of Togo.

The court, presided over by Mr Ali Baba Abature, also ordered him to pay a GH¢1,200.00 fine, or serve additional 18 months in prison in default.

Agbavor pleaded not guilty.

The court also confiscated the 25 bags of fertilizer to the state and ordered for their sale and the proceeds paid into the consolidated fund.

The facts of the prosecution were that at about 1800 hrs on December 12, 2017, police at Dzodze, Ketu North Municipal capital heard that some persons were smuggling fertilizer from Avalavi, also in the area through Deme to a village in Togo.

The prosecution said following surveillance, a witness intercepted an Apsonic Tricycle motorbike loaded with 25 bags of NPK 15-15-15 fertilizer on the Deme-Bagbe unapproved route in Togo.

Eddo Ahiahornu, the bike rider and his mate, Kwami Dordzinu, mentioned Agbavor, a farmer at Avalavi, as the owner of the goods, who chartered them to convey them to Togo.

The accused then owned up, explaining he bought the fertilizers for a colleague Togolese farmer, one Francis Agbleta in Bagbe in Togo and transporting them to him.

Source: GNA