Illegal miner arrested for alleged cocoa theft

A 22-year-old miner, Kofi Derrick, has been arrested by the police for alleged theft of a bag of cocoa belonging to the Produce Buying Company Limited (PBC).

He was on Monday put before the Nkawie Circuit Court and granted bail in the sum of GH¢5,000.00 with a surety.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the crime and would re-appear on Friday, September 7.

Police Detective Sergeant Jonas Adjei told the court presided over by Justice Frank Owusu Afriyie that the complainant, Kwame Boateng, is a purchasing clerk of the PBC at Esaase-Bontefufuo in the Amansie West District.

Derrick lives at Gyeneso, a community, about 15 kilometres away from Esaase.

On January 6, the complainant had opened the doors to the shed where 62 bags of cocoa, waiting for evacuation to the port, had been packed to allow in fresh air and prevent the beans from going bad.

He alerted his wife to keep close eye on the cocoa as he left for town.

The prosecution said at about 1530 hours, the woman, Mrs. Beatrice Boateng, saw the accused enter the shed and quickly followed up to the place, only to find him carrying one bag of the cocoa away.

She confronted him, demanding to know where he was taking the cocoa and Derrick began to fumble.

She therefore raised the alarm and people attracted to the scene helped to arrest him. He was handed over to the police at Ahwerewa.