A farmer, Prince Kwaku Kodua, who stole GH¢5,280 worth of cocoa beans from a cocoa merchant at Kokodei in the Ashanti Region, has been jailed for five years.
Kodua, 38, was sentenced at the Bekwai Circuit Court after admitting stealing, contrary to section 124 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29).
Prosecutor, Detective Chief Inspector Ofori said during trial that the convict conspired with his wife, Akosua Achiaa, who is at large, to steal the cocoa beans which they later sold back to the complainant, Akosua Fremah.
According to him, 60-year-old Akosua Fremah, who is a cocoa merchant, employed the convict about six months ago to work for her as a farm labourer at her coca drying shed.
The prosecutor stated that the complainant, about a month ago, detected a drastic decrease in her cocoa beans and therefore confronted Kodua, but he denied any knowledge of it.
He narrated that the complainant, after a verification exercise, realised that eight bags of cocoa beans valued at GH¢5,280 had been taken from the shed, which was manned by the convict.
Chief Inspector Ofori said within the same period, Kodua sold some cocoa beans to the complainant under the pretext that he was doing so on behalf of another cocoa farmer.
Suspicious of the conduct of the convict, the prosecution said the complainant asked Kodua to lead her to the farmer whose cocoa beans he sold to her.
It then came to light that the two bags of cocoa beans valued at GH¢1,320 that were sold to her were from her own shed, having been stolen by the convict.
A report was made to the police and Kodua was arrested and admitted stealing the cocoa beans from the shed of the complainant.
By Ernest Kofi Adu