Man jailed for stealing cocoa beans

The Enchi District Magistrate court, presided over by Mr Eric Baah Boateng, has sentenced a motor rider to twenty months imprisonment with hard labour for stealing eight bags of dried cocoa beans valued GH¢3,880.

The convict, Eric Cobbina alias Cobbee pleaded guilty to the offence and was convicted on his own plea.

The Prosecution led by Detective Sergeant Joseph Kwadwo Agyare, told the court that, the complainant, Sammy Fuseini is a cocoa purchasing clerk with Amajaro cocoa buying company at Boniso in the Aowin Municipality.

He said on December 12, 2018, the complainant visited his cocoa shed near Boniso market and noticed that thieves had broken into it and eighty bags of dried cocoa beans valued GH¢3, 880 stolen.

The Prosecution said the complainant after reporting the theft to the Boniso police, send his son Yahaya Fuseini, a witness in the case to inform all the purchasing clerks operating along the Boniso-Jema road to get hold of anyone who suspiciously attempts to sell any bag of dried cocoa beans to them.

Detective Agyare said when Yahaya reached Odifokrom, he went to Stephen Quashie, a purchasing clerk and met Cobbina at Quashie’s cocoa shed.

He said Yahaya called Quashie aside and informed him about his father’s missing dried cocoa beans.

He said Cobbina sensing danger intentionally told Quashie that he wanted to call his brother so that both of them would come and sell the cocoa and bolted.

The Prosecution said the witness informed the Police at Boniso and a message was quickly dispatched to the Police in Jema for assistance.

He said the convict was arrested by the Jema Police on December 13, 2018, and was handed over to the Police at Boniso for further investigation.

He said Cobbina in his statement to the police, admitted committing the offence with one Annor at Jema who is now at large.

Source: GNA