Kumasi, April 23, GNA - Three employees of Sompa Cocoa, a Licensed Buying Company, have been arrested by the police in connection with the theft of the company's 512.5 million cedis meant for the purchase of cocoa.

They are Philip Donkor, 51, Research Development Officer, Prince Prempeh, 35, driver and Kwadwo Fordjour, Special Duty Officer. The three allegedly conspired with some others to ambush the vehicle conveying the money to its Area Managers after the driver reportedly drove into a forest near Sanfo-Aduam on the Bekwai-Cape Coast road.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) William Awuvey told the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi that on January 13, this year, the company withdrew money from the bank for the purchase of cocoa. He said 660 million cedis of the amount was packed into four empty sacks and loaded into the company's vehicle to be distributed to purchasing centres.

DSP Awuvey said Asare Bediako, the company's Assistant Operations Manager was assigned to disburse the money to the purchasing centres. He said in the course of loading the sacks into the vehicle, Donkor was seen making signs to Prempeh, the driver on several occasions. According to DSP Awuvey, at about 1330 hours, Fordjour joined the vehicle while Bediako followed in another vehicle, as was the normal practice.

DSP Awuvey said when they got to Bekwai, one of the sacks containing 148.7 million cedis was delivered to the Area Manager and that while Bediako and the Area Manager were checking the money, Prempeh and Fordjour took off with the rest of the money.

He said after Bediako and the Bekwai Area Manager finished checking the money, he chased them as he got close to their vehicle he saw that the lid to the compartment where the moneybags were had opened, thereby exposing the sacks to a taxi that was closely behind. He said Bediako caught up with the money vehicle after overtaking the taxi and signalled to the company's driver to stop but he ignored him and about a short distance from Sanfo-Aduam, he turned off the main road into a forest and stopped.

He said within a few seconds, the taxi, which was following them, drew up and immediately one of the occupants pulled out a pistol and fired at Bediako's vehicle but he managed to drive away unhurt when the robber was reloading the pistol and later reported to the Bekwai police. DSP Awuvey said the driver alleged that another occupant of the taxi hit him with a pistol and pulled him out of the driver's seat at gunpoint and drove off with the money.

The vehicle, he said was later found abandoned at Abirem but with the money gone.

The three persons have appeared before a Kumasi circuit court on two counts of conspiracy to steal and stealing. They pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court granted Donkor and Prempeh 600 million cedis bail each with two sureties each to be justified, while Fordjour, the Special Duty Officer, who refused to enter the dock with his colleagues, was remanded in prison custody. 23 April 06