Investigations into alleged cocoa smuggling case continues - Prosecutor

Accra, May 17, GNA - The Police told an Accra Circuit Court that a t= eam conducting further investigations into the case of 14 security personnel,=

allegedly involved in cocoa smuggling, was not ready with its findings. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) P.K. Frimpong said consequentl= y, prosecution could not furnish the court with the outcome of the investigations. DSP Frimpong was prosecuting in the case of 14 security personnel allegedly involved in the cocoa smuggling on the western frontier of the Ghana-Cote d'Ivoire border on Monday.

The court has reviewed the bail condition of the accused persons aft= er the defence team had prayed the court to reconsider the days which the accused persons were to report to the Police. It contended that some of the accused persons had to travel from the=

Western Region to report to the Police in Accra.

The court obliged and the accused persons on GH¢50,000 bail with t= wo sureties each, were ordered to report to the Police every Friday. Earlier they were reporting on every Monday and Friday. The officials are Gabriel Dimado, Collection Assistant I, William Festus Yawson, Collection Assistant II, Quaye Sowah Steven, Junior Collection Assistant II, and Prosper Edze, Junior Collection Assistant II= .. The rest are Adolf Nii Armah, Junior Collection Assistant III, James Dzamesi, Junior Collection Assistant III, Rockson Eric Appeadu, Assistant=

Grade III and Paul Dzamesi, Assistant Collection III. Police Constable Isaac Kwaku Asare Darko and Police Constable Samuel Kwasi Ekpeagba are operatives from the National Security. The other officers are Mate Korle, Assistant Immigration Officer Grad= e II, Frederick Kofiabley, Assistant Immigration Officer Grade II, Kofi Aboagye, Assistant Immigration Officer Grade II and Police Constable J.K.=

Appiah Boakye. They have been charged with abetment of crime and pleaded not guilty. Facts of the case are that an investigative journalist, had informati= on that some security personnel at the western frontier of Ghana-Cote d'Ivoi= re border were compromising their work.

The prosecution said they received monetary consideration to assist people to smuggle dried cocoa beans from Ghana to Cote d'Ivoire. It said the journalist conducted an initial investigation into the information, which was captured on video and referred to the Ghana Police=

Service for investigation.