Driver remanded for allegedly stealing cocoa beans

Alhassan Abass, a driver, on Wednesday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for diverting 510 bags of cocoa beans to Accra for sale.

The driver was detailed from the Produce Buying Company (PBC) yard at Tema to off load the cocoa beans, valued at GHC104,550, at the PBC warehouse at Kpong.

The accused pleaded not guilty to stealing and was remanded into Police custody.

Police Chief Inspector Charles Chester, prosecuting, said the complainant was the Port Manager of the PBC at Tema while the accused was a driver of S.O. Frimpong Company Limited also at Tema.

He said on March 23, 2012, the accused was asked to drive Mercedes Benz trailer with registration No.GR 6098Q from the PBC yard at Tema to the PBC warehouse at Kpong with 510 bags of cocoa beans.

The prosecutor said the accused went to Kpong with the pretence of offloading the cocoa beans but returned to the PBC yard without doind so.

Chief Inspector Chester said on March 26, the accused went for the vehicle again in an attempt to off load the beans at the Tarzan yard at Tema but rather parked the vehicle by the roadside waiting for his accomplices.

He said during the night the accused drove the vehicle with the cocoa beans from Tema to Accra to sell them.

The prosecution said when the accused reached Israel Traffic Light, a suburb of Accra at 1230hours, National Security Patrol team on patrol in Accra intercepted the vehicle and when they requested to know the content, accused told them it was fertilizer but after a careful examination it was discovered that it was cocoa beans.

Chief Inspector Chester said when the accused was arrested he admitted that he was going to sell the beans to a buyer.

He said a report was made to the Police and during investigation accused admitted the offence and was charged accordingly.