Court jails farmer for stealing cocoa

Akim Swedru (E/R), Sept. 6, GNA - A 28-year-old farmer from Kwaoboadi No.1 in the Birim North District, who stole 50 kilograms of cocoa valued at 135,000 cedis was on Monday jailed 12 months in hard labour by the Akim Swedru Circuit Court. Kwabena Atwiri, who was convicted on his own plea of stealing, will addition pay a fine of two million cedis.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Kwabena Boakye of the Akyem Edubiase Police station, told the court, presided over by Mr Edward Kwame Bosompem Apenkwa, that the complainant Okyere Osae, is a cocoa purchasing clerk of the OLAM Company Limited.

He said since last year, the complainant had been detecting a series of thefts from his cocoa shed at Kwaoboadi No.1. Chief Inspector Boakye said on August 25, this year, the complainant detected the theft of 15 kilos of cocoa valued at 135,000 cedis from his shed and upon a tip-off, confronted the convict who confessed to stealing the cocoa. The convict was arrested and handed over to the Police.