Marketing clerk jailed for 10 years

A Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced Godfred Appiah, a 39-year-old marketing clerk to 10 years imprisonment for stealing GHc61,904.00 belonging to the Torompan Society, a produce buying company.

He was convicted on his own plea.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Edward Paddy, told the court presided over by Mr Samuel Obeng Diawuo that during the 2012-2013 main cocoa seasons, the complainant Jerry Kwaw, who is the District Manager of the company, gave the convict an amount of GHc153,064.00 to purchase 722 bags of dried cocoa beans.

He said out of the total, the convict bought and delivered 419 bags of cocoa beans leaving a stock of 292 which amounted to GHc61,904.00.

He said the complainant on one occasion visited Appiah’s Society on his normal duty rounds and found some few stocks in his custody.

Inspector Paddy said a company truck was later dispatched by the complainant to evacuate the cocoa, but to his surprise, the driver returned to report that he did not see any cocoa upon his arrival.

The offender since then failed to attend their weekly returns meeting and rather went into hiding.

The Prosecutor said on May 18 this year, Appiah was spotted at the company’s premises and was arrested and handed over to the police.

He said after thorough investigation, the convict was charged with the offence.