Farmer remanded for stealing cocoa beans

A circuit court in Dormaa Ahenkro presided by Mr Justice V. C. Senu has remanded Kwame Sarfo, a farmer, into prison custody for stealing cocoa from a neighbour's farm.

Sarfo pleaded not guilty.
Police Inspector George Kumah told the court that the complainant in the case was a pastor and a farmer, while the suspect was his neighbour at Diabaa.

He said on November 19 last year, the complainant harvested his cocoa and kept the pods on his farm at New Chiraa, near Nkrankwanta.

The prosecutor said the pastor visited his farm four days later and detected that part of his cocoa had been stolen.

An informant later told him that the suspect was seen drying cocoa beans on a mat in his house and acting upon the tip-off, the pastor took the informant with him to the suspect's house but did not meet him.

Police Inspector Kumah said the pastor asked the suspect's wife to tell him not to dispose of the cocoa beans without first seeing him (the pastor).

He said when Sarfo returned and was given the message he quickly removed the cocoa beans from his house, after which he rushed to the informant and threatened him with death if the latter exposed him.

The prosecutor said the pastor and the informant reported the case to the police and Sarfo was arrested and charged with two counts of stealing and issuing death threat.

GNA