Transporting cocoa beans without authority: Four granted GH¢1.3 million bail
Kofi Boateng, a driver; Seth Kwabena Baffour, a driver’s assistant; Joseph Yakubu, a driver and Amonsah Paul, a driver’s assistant are said to have concealed the 350 bags of cocoa beans in a cargo truck and loaded plantain on top of them.
They have pleaded not guilty to three counts of transporting cocoa beans from Tepa to Accra without authority at the court presided over by Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit.
Their pleas were taken on Wednesday [June 4, 2025].
Boateng has been admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢500,000 with three sureties one to be justified with two of the sureties being public servants earning not less than GH¢2,000.
Baffour has also been admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢650,000 with three sureties one to be justified with two of the sureties being public servants earning not less than GH¢2,000.
Yakubu and Amonsah on the other hand have been admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢100,000 with three sureties with two being public servants. One of the sureties must provide justification.
The accused persons are to deposit their Ghana cards at the court registry.
Per the facts of the case, the complainant, Patrick Ocansey is a Principal Service Officer of Ghana Cocoabod while Boateng is a driver in charge of cargo truck with registration number GN 8967- 17,
The truck was loaded with 159 bags of cocoa beans.
Baffour, is the driver in charge of the cargo truck with registration number AS 4066-21, which was also loaded with 198 bags of cocoa beans.
Yakubu and Paul are both driver's assistants.
On May 30, 2025 at about 8:30 am, the complainant had intel that the above-mentioned trucks which were loaded with cocoa beans were packed at the Dome market.
“Complainant with a team of Police men, proceeded to the scene and arrested the accused persons and brought them to the Accra Central Police station. Investigations revealed that the accused persons loaded the cocoa beans from Tepa in the Brong Ahafo Region to be sent to Ashaiman in Greater Accra.
“Accused persons knowing very well that they cannot transport cocoa beans without the authority of Cocobod, and for the fear of being arrested by the Police, loaded plantain to cover the cocoa beans,” Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder told the court.
He added that when the accused persons got to the Dome market, they offloaded all the plantain, leaving the cocoa beans, hence their arrest.
“During interrogation the accused persons in their caution statements told police that the goods belonged to one Kwame but could not lead police to his arrest."
He told the court that after investigations, the accused persons were charged with the offences stated on the charge sheet and arraigned before the court.
