Export Cocoa Mixed With Stones

The suspected culprits

Two persons - a cocoa depot keeper and a purchasing clerk - at Dadieso near Enchi in the Western Region who mixed cocoa beans meant for export with stones, have been jailed five years by a Takoradi circuit court.

The dried cocoa beans were loaded from a depot at Dadieso to the Takoradi port to be exported to the United States of America (USA) when it was detected that the produce were mixed with stones.

The depot keeper, Ibrahim Fuseini, 34, also managed to steal two bags of the dried cocoa beans.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Yakubu Fuseini disclosed that the complainant is the General Manager of Akuafo Adamfo Cocoa Purchasing Company residing in Accra.

He indicated that on March 7, 2015, the first accused (Ibrahim Fuseini) decided to steal some quantities of dried cocoa beans from the depot so he contracted the 2nd accused person, Richard Ayipey, to fetch some stones in a cocoa sack for him, and Ayipey obliged.

The first accused person then secretly went to the depot and mixed 15 bags of sealed cocoa beans with the stones after stealing two bags.

Fuseini later sold the two stolen bags to Ayipey at a cost of GHc440. 00. He gave Ayipey also GH'150.00 as reward for bringing the stones.

The prosecutor noted that on March 15, 2015, 600 bags of cocoa were loaded from the depot to Takoradi port for export to the USA.

In the course of discharging the goods at the port, it was detected that 15 out of the 600 bags were mixed with stones.

The complainant reported the case to the police and the two accused persons were arrested alongside five others.

However, in the course of the investigations, the two accused persons admitted the offence and were subsequently put before court.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi