Police arrest four suspects for allegedly stealing cocoa

Nsawam, Oct. 31, GNA - Police personnel from Kibi have arrested four suspected armed robbers who allegedly hijacked a truck load of 600 bags of cocoa near Suhum in the Eastern Region. They are Kofi Oppong, George Baah 40, Ankomah Dudra 25 and Bediako Osei 22. Police Chief Superintendent Owiredu Nkansah, Kibi Divisional Commander, briefing newsmen in Nsawam on Friday said the suspects who posed as military personnel pulled the driver and his mate out of the truck, hand cuffed them in a waiting Opel Astra saloon car and drove them to Nkawkaw where they left them.

He said the suspects escorted the truck to Asuotwene, a village near Asamankese, and sold some of the cocoa to the managements of Diaby Cocoa Company and Evadox Cocoa Company, both private cocoa-buying companies in the village.

Police Chief Superintendent Nkansah said management of Diaby cocoa company bought 100 bags at 100 Ghana cedis each and paid GHC 10,000 to them, while management of Evadox Company bought 500 bags valued at 50,000 Ghana cedis on credit.

He said when the suspects returned for their money they were arrested upon a tip-off and 575 bags of cocoa have been retrieved. The suspects are in police custody at Nsawam.