A-G to advice on Parliamentary Candidate’s fertilizer theft case

The Case in which the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Hemang- Lower Denkyira Constituency, Bright Wereko-Brobbey and 17 others standing trial over the alleged theft and distribution of 1,201 bags of cocoa fertilizers was on Wednesday adjourned to September 9.

The Cape Coast Circuit Court presided over by Mr. Kofi Seshie Ametewee, adjourned the case to Wednesday September 9, to enable the prosecution forward the docket to the Attorney General’s Department for advice.

Praying the court for adjournment, Police Chief Inspector Charles Yao Anku, said he was unable to forward the docket to the Attorney General’s office after the last adjourned date due to the nationwide strike embarked on by the State Attorneys last month.

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

Other accused persons include, two District Cocoa Officers, Felix Kwame Quainoo and Ernest Odei-Larbie, Kweku Nsowah, farmer, who allegedly conspired and stole the fertilizers for onward distribution.

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.

At the last adjourned date, Wereko-Brobbey, a development specialist, pleaded not guilty to abetment of crime, and was granted bail in the sum of GHC50, 000 with two sureties.

Quainoo, Odei-Larbi and Nsowah, were charged with conspiracy and stealing, but they all pleaded not guilty to the two charges and were also each granted a 50,000-Ghana-Cedi bail, with two sureties.

The 14 recipients of the fertilizers, all residents of Wawaase, near Twifo Hemang, were charged with dishonestly receiving, but they also all pleaded not guilty and each was granted bail in the sum of 10,000 Ghana Cedis with a surety each.

In addition, all the accused persons were to report themselves to the Police every Wednesday.

The facts of the case told by Chief Inspector Anku are that on Friday, June 12, 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 farmers in the area were rather distributed to win votes for Wereko-Brobbey in fulfillment of his campaign promise.

The prosecutor said Carr was arrested with 38 bags of the fertilizers, but mentioned Wereko-Brobbey and Nsowah as the persons who gave the fertilizers to him for distribution.

But Wereko-Brobbey denied knowledge when he was arrested, however, after investigations it emerged that he conspired with Quainoo and Odei-Larbie to steal the fertilizers, the Prosecutor, added.

Chief Inspector Anku also told the Court that further investigations after Carr and Entsi were arrested, revealed that some of the accused persons did not own cocoa farms while the size of those who had did not merit the quantity of fertilizers received.

He said Quainoo did not use the right procedure to distribute the fertilizers to Odei-Larbie and Nsowah.

At the last adjourned date, 44 out of the 1,201 bags were retrieved from the accused persons.