Tema Court fines five persons in sugar deal

Tema, Oct 28, GNA - Four persons who diverted 48 bags of sugar valued at 7.2 million cedis from the Tema port to Lashibi were on Tuesday fined 20 million cedis or eight years imprisonment in default by a Tema Circuit Court "B".

Each person is to pay five million cedis fine or go to jail for two years after they had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and stealing. They are Tahiru Issah, transport owner, Gariba Ibrahim a driver, Kofi Adopley, a driver's mate and Latif Mensah, a driver.

Adwoa Serwaah, a trader, was also fined three million cedis or a year's jail term for dishonestly receiving the sugar.

Prosecuting Chief Inspector Edith Nutakor told the court that a vessel "MV Phuong Dong 2" had docked at the VALCO wharf at the Tema Fishing Harbour with 450 bags of sugar valued at 67.5 million cedis. She said on October 24, Mr Emmanuel Kwaku Appiah engaged the services of Gariba, Issah and Adopley to convey the 450 bags of sugar and discharge them at the SDV Warehouse.

The three persons conspired with the Musah to steal some of the sugar and diverted the consignment to Lashibi near Ashaiman and sold 48 bags valued at 7.2 million cedis to Serwaah. Police investigations led to their arrest.