Ex-convict gets 14 years jail term for stealing cocoa beans

A 38-year-old ex-convict, who has been stealing cocoa beans from raffia drying mats in some cocoa-growing communities in the Ahafo-Ano Municipality, has been sentenced to 14 years imprisonment by the Tepa circuit court.

Isaac Kofi Nti is said to be a serial thief of cocoa beans from farmers and had been arrested and fined on many occasions by the court.

He pleaded guilty to the charge of stealing cocoa beans valued at GHc660.00 and was convicted on his plea by the court presided over by Mrs Gwendolyn Millicent Owusu.

Police Chief Inspector Jonas Newlove Agyei told the court that Owusu was 2018 accused of stealing cocoa beans and was fined GHc1,200.00 by the same court.

He said on February 24 this year, at about 1600 hours, the complainant, Charles Kwaku Williams, returned from the farm and detected the theft of his cocoa beans from the drying raffia mat.

He reported the case to the Tepa police.

According to the prosecution, the convict who had been arrested for committing a similar offence at Brosankro, a nearby village, and brought to the Tepa police station, confessed to stealing the beans of Mr Williams.

Chief Inspector Agyei said the convict was, therefore, charged and after investigations brought before the court.