Court frees Wereko-Brobbey, 17 Others

The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Hemang- Lower Denkyira Constituency Bright Wereko-Brobbey and 17 others who were standing trial for alleged theft of cocoa fertilizers have been acquitted and discharged by a Cape Coast Circuit court.

Mr Wireko Brobby and three others namely Kweku Nsowah, Felix Kwame Quainoo and Ernest Odei Larbi were accused of allegedly stealing 1,201 bags of cocoa fertilizers at the Twifo Praso Office of Cocoa Board while the 14 others were also charged for dishonestly receiving the said fertilizers.

The bags of fertilizers valued at GH¢ 201, 287.60, were allegedly stolen from the Twifo- Praso Office of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), and distributed to some farmers believed to be NPP polling station executives.

This was allegedly to gain political favour for Wereko-Brobbey during the party’s parliamentary primaries held in July last year in the Constituency.

The alleged recipients are, Anthony Carr, Abena Towah, Abena Hawa, Abubakar Farouk, Obed Arhin,Efia Ayimadua, Lydia Cobbina, Mary Donkoh, Patience Ahimadu, Monica Boadu, Stephen Oppong and Isaac Antwi junior, all farmers, and Anane Otoo, electrician and Salormey Larbi, unemployed.

The Chief State Attorney, Mr. John Ofori at the last sitting, on Wednesday, July 20, prayed the court to adjourn the case to Wednesday August 3, 2016, because prosecution was expecting fresh evidence from the Central Regional Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.

However, on the said date the prosecution failed to provide the fresh evidence and again pleaded with the court for an adjournment.

Counsel for the accused persons, Mr Michael Arthur Dadzie was however, not satisfied with the numerous adjournmentsprayed the court to strike the case out because the A-G was only wasting the time of the court and that of the accused persons.

According to him, prosecution did not have any concrete evidence to prosecute, hence their refusal to submit a fiat against the accused persons at the last adjourned date.

The court presided over by Mr Kofi Seshie Amatewee acquitted and discharged the accused persons.

The facts of the case as presented in court earlier by prosecution were that, on Friday, June 12 ,2015, information circulated in the Constituency that Wereko-Brobbey was distributing free cocoa fertilizers to some NPP polling station executives.

He said the fertilizers sent by the government for distribution to all cocoa

But Wereko-Brobbey denied knowledge of it when he was arrested.

Party supporters who were in the court smeared powder on the accused persons amidst drumming and dancing and put white bands on their hands and neck to signify victory.