NPP PC, 17 others, held over stolen Cocobod fertilizers

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Hemang Lower Denkyira, Bright Wireko-Brobey and 17 others were on Wednesday, granted bail by a Cape Coast Circuit Court, over their alleged roles in the stealing and distribution of 1,201 bags of cocoa feed fertilizers, belonging to Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod).

The bags of fertilizers valued at 201, 287.60 Ghana Cedis, were allegedly stolen from the Twifo Praso Office of the Cocobod, and distributed to some farmers believed to be NPP polling station executives, to gain political favour for Wireko-Brobey during the party’s parliamentary primaries held last month in the constituency.

Among the 17, are two district cocoa officers, Felix Kwame Quainoo and Ernest Odei-Larbie, Kweku Nsowah, farmer, who allegedly conspired and stole the fertilizers for onward distribution.

The alleged recipients are, Anthony Carr, AbenaTowah, AbenaHawa, Abubakar Farouk, Obed Arhin,EfiaAyimadua, Lydia Cobbina, Mary Donkoh, Patience Ahimadu, Monica Boadu, Stephen Oppong and Isaac Antwi junior all farmers andAnane Otoo, electrician and SalormeyLarbi, unemployed.

Wireko-Brobey, a development specialist, pleaded not guilty to abetment of crime, and was granted bail in the sum of GHC50,000 with two sureties.

Quainoo, Odei-Larbi and Nsowah, were charged with conspiracy and stealing, but they all pleaded not guilty to the two charges and were each granted a 50,000-Ghana-Cedi bail, with two sureties.

The 14 recipients of the fertilizers, all residents of Wawaase, near Twifo Hemang, were charged with dishonestly receiving, but they all pleaded not guilty and each was granted bail in the sum of 10,000 Ghana Cedis

In addition, all the accused persons are to report themselves to the Police every Wednesday, until Wednesday August 12, for the continuation of the case.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector, Charles Yao Anku, told the court presided over by Mr. Kofi Seshie Ametewee that on Friday, June12, information circulated in the constituency that Wireko-Brobey was distributing free cocoa fertilizers to some NPP polling station executives.

He said the fertilizers sent by the government for distribution to all cocoa farmers in the area were rather distributed to win votes for Wireko-Brobey.

The prosecutor said, Carr was arrested with 38 bags of the fertilizers, but mentioned Wireko-Brobey and Nsowah as the persons who gave the fertilisers to him for distribution.

But Wireko-Brobey denied knowledge when he was arrested, however, after investigations it emerged that he conspired with Quainoo and Odei-Larbie to steal the fertilizers, the prosecutor, added.

Chief Inspector Anku also told the court that further investigations revealed that the accused persons did not own cocoa farms, and that Quainoo did not use the right procedure to distribute the fertilizers to Odei-Larbie and Nsowah.

So far, 44 out of the 1,201 bags have been retrieved from the accused persons.