Cocoa stealing syndicate nabbed at Tema – FEDCO to answer

Three persons are in the grips of the Tema Regional Police Command in the Greater Accra Region for allegedly stealing a total of 206 bags of Cocoa worth Ghc72,100.00.

The suspects are Fredrick Baako, 30, a Security Personnel at the Cocoa Marketing Company Warehouse in Tema, Moses Amoah, 35, a driver and John Essiaw, 47, believed to be the driver’s mate.

Briefing journalists in Tema, Noah Amenyah, Public Affairs Manager of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) said a truck with registration number GC 7088-11 loaded with cocoa was intercepted by the Police Patrol Team around the Heavy Industrial area at dawn on Sunday 8th March, 2015.

He said upon further checks, it was found out that a waybill belonging to Federated Commodities Company (FEDCO) covering the consignment indicated that the truck was moving from Oda in the Eastern Region as the point of despatch and Takoradi Habour as the destination.

This raised some suspicion which led to the arrest of the suspects. Initial investigations reveal that Frederick Baako, the main suspect used the vehicle of his brother Evans Opare Baako, a purchasing clerk of FEDCO, a licensed buying company to evacuate the cocoa.

Mr. Amenyah cautioned that any licensed buying company (LBC) or staff found engaging in such acts will be severely dealt with.

Preliminary investigations by the Police revealed that the 206 bags of cocoa had been stolen from the Akasonoma Cocoa Warehouse in Tema with Frederick Baako being the brain behind the theft.

The suspects are currently in the grips of the Tema Regional Police Command assisting with investigations.

Confirming the arrest, ASP Juliana Obeng, Public Relations Officer of the Tema Regional Police Command, said the move was part of effort by the Police Service to clamp down on crime in the metropolis.

ASP Obeng said investigations were still being conducted and that the culprits would be arraigned before a court. She urged the general public to be vigilant and report all suspected criminals to the police.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Cocoa Board has retrieved all 206 bags of cocoa alleged to have been stolen by the suspects.