Four persons remanded for alleged stealing of cocoa beans

Goaso (B/A), Dec. 18, GNA - Four persons have been remanded in prison custody by the Goaso circuit court for allegedly stealing two bags of dried cocoa beans belonging to Amajaro Company Limited. Yaw Lantan Manu 25, Kwaku Gandri 28, Simon Quarla 21 and Timothy Duuts, 23, pleaded not guilty to the charge against them and would reappear on January 3, 2011.

Prosecuting Chief Inspector Samuel Dorvor told the court presided over by Mr. Osei Kwame Gyamfi that the complainant, Mr. Douglas Gyamfi, is a district officer of Amajaro Limited, Nkasiem branch and residing at Nkasiem in the Asutifi District of Brong-Ahafo Region, while the accused persons are casual labourers in the same company.

The prosecution said on December nine, this year, at about 6:30 p.m., the workers of the Company including the accused persons bagged and packed dried cocoa beans into their warehouse which they had earlier on dried. C/Insp. Dorvor said while bagging and packing, a KIA truck also brought 39 bags of dried cocoa which also to be off loaded into the warehouse but the accused persons who are close friends left the bagging and packing into the warehouse and moved to the KIA truck to off load the 39 bags into the warehouse.

He said the witness in the case saw Kwaku Gandri carrying one bag of cocoa and rather headed towards Nkaseim market instead of sending it into the warehouse. According to C/Insp. Dorvor not quite long, Lantam who was also carrying one bag diverted his route to follow Gandri. Prosecution stated that the witness called the complainant who was then in the office close to the warehouse with other officials on phone to come immediately. Both the complainant and the witness traced Lantam and Gandri but on seeing them they took to their heels. He said the complainant raised an alarm and with the assistance of some volunteers, the suspects were pursued and arrested. Prosecution said the two suspects led the complainant to where the two bags of stolen cocoa were deposited and they mentioned Quarla and Duuts as their accomplices. 18 Dec.10