The Tarkwa Circuit Court on Tuesday sentenced Emmanuel Owusu, a 20 year-old cobbler and two teachers, Marfo Adade, 23, and Alfred Adade,19, to 54 months imprisonment in hard labour for stealing half bag of cocoa beans.

The accused pleaded guilty to conspiracy and stealing.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Florence Tawiah told the court, presided by Mr Justice Obeng Asante, that the complainant, Ebenezer Binkyere, is a cocoa purchasing clerk who reside at Asuohyiam near Samreboi with the three accused persons living in the same neighbourhood.

She said 01.30 hours on December 23, this year, a witness in the case woke up to urinate and saw Marfo and Alfred descending from the roof of the complainant's cocoa shed with Owusu standing some few metres away spying.

Chief Inspector Tawiah said the witness shouted for help and the accused persons, sensing danger, took to their heels and escaped.

She said the complainant woke up and went to the cocoa shed where he found that the accused persons had stolen half bag of cocoa beans from his shed and found a Nokia mobile phone belonging to Alfred.

Chief Inspector Tawiah said when the complainant and three of his neighbours proceeded to the house of the accused persons, they met Owusu and Marfo sweating profusely in their room.

She said Owusu and Marfo were arrested and handed over to the police but Alfred was nowhere to be found.

Inspector Tawiah said around 12:30 a.m. on December 24, Alfred was apprehended at his hideout at Asuohyiam by the Neighborhood Watchdog Committee.