The Hohoe Magistrate Court has handed a four years prison sentence to Gbele Ebenezer, a 27-year chainsaw operator and an ex-convict, for stealing cocoa beans.

Ebenezer, the second accused person was however acquitted on two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime and dishonestly receiving while Agbesi Attey, a 27-year-old unemployed, first accused person was acquitted and discharged on all the three counts.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector George Doe who presented the facts of the case to the Court presided over by Mr Peter Anongdare said the complainant is a driver at Hohoe lorry station whilst the accused person, Agbesi Attey and Gbele Ebenezer are unemployed and a chainsaw operator respectively.

He said on May 28, 2018, at about 1500 hours, the complainant placed a sack containing cocoa beans at the Hohoe main lorry station and later returned to take the said cocoa beans but could not trace it.

The prosecution said the complainant had information that the accused persons were seen carrying cocoa beans away, which led to the arrest of the first accused person.

He said first accused person volunteered an investigation caution statement to the police during which he admitted stealing the complainant’s cocoa beans together with the second accused person who was on the run and sold it to to the Produce Buying Company (PBC) Hohoe Zongo branch.

The prosecution said the first accused person led the police to the PBC branch where the buyer, one Godsway, a Commercial Marketing Clerk was met and he confirmed buying cocoa beans from the accused persons on December 2, 2018, at about 0800 hours.

He said the second accused person was spotted in the Hohoe Police cells in a case of stealing, hence was arrested and he volunteered an investigation caution statement.

The prosecution said the second accused person denied committing the offence and added that he did not know the first accused person or the cocoa buyer at PBC.