Attempted fraud at CMCFour accused persons remanded into custody

A TAKORADI Circuit Court has remanded into prison custody four staff of the Cocoa Marketing Company (CMC), who attempted to defraud the company of a whooping amount of GH¢45,000, with what is described as 'flying' waybill. They are Messrs. Joseph Egyin, Stephen Eshun, John Aduhene, and Sylvester Jantuah. The fifth accussed person, Monica Afari, who is not a staff of the company, could not attend court on health grounds.

They have all been charged with conspiracy to steal, and attempting to steal when they appear before the court yesterday, after being discharged earlier by a Sekondi Magistrate Court.

Counsel for the accused persons, Mr. Baidoo Faitoo, of Kendicks Chamber, had argued that his clients be admitted to bail, but the presiding judge rejected the request, and remanded the accused persons to appear in court next week Tuesday.

The court also ordered the investigator in the case, to investigate claims by the husband of Monica Afari that his wife was rushed to hospital the previous night, and could therefore not appear in court.

The sixth accused person, George Brefo is still at large.

Presenting the facts of the case to the court, Chief Inspector Kumah Mensah stated that the accused persons in January last year, met and agreed to divert 600 bags of cocoa valued at GH¢45,000, without authority.

A waybill covering the 600 bags of cocoa was prepared, and handed over for processing to that effect.

The accused persons, according to the Prosecutor, received a stamped waybill, meaning that the vehicle carrying the consignment had arrived with the cocoa, which had also been received.

According to the prosecutor, after the accused persons completed their hatched assignment, they passed it on to an officer on the final table for clearance, but the said officer detected irregularities, and drew the attention of the complainant, who is a security officer, leading to their arrest.