Kade, Jan. 9, GNA - Eric Kwasi Twum, a farmer who stole 22 kilos of dried cocoa beans valued at GH¢40.00 was on Friday fined GH¢180.00 by= the Kade District Magistrate Court. In default, Twum, who pleaded guilty, would go to prison for four months in hard labour.

Police Chief Inspector Eric T. Zorh, prosecuting, told the court tha= t both Twum and the complainant, Vincent Akoto, lived at Tweapease. He said the complainant had a cocoa farm at mile seven village near Tweapease where, on December 11, he dried some cocoa beans and left for Tweapease to make some purchases.

On his return, he met Twum carrying about 22 kilos of cocoa beans in= a sack and suspecting that it was his cocoa, confronted him. Twum admitted stealing the complainant's cocoa and he then escorted him to the Asuom Police Station. During investigation, the police consulted a purchasing clerk who ga= ve the value of the dried cocoa beans as GH¢40.00.