Primary school boys in court for allegedly stealing cocoa

Breman Amanfopong (C/R), Oct. 27, GNA - Three primary school boys and a 46- year-old cocoa buying clerk, Mr Ayirebi Adams, have been granted police enquiry bail for allegedly stealing a quantity of dried cocoa beans valued at 105,000 cedis at Breman Amanfopong in Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District last Friday.

The three boys, each of them 12 years old, are Kojo Salifu, Philip Kojo Ansah and Frederick Adu.

The three boys were provisionally charged for conspiracy to steal and stealing while Ayirebi was charged with dishonestly receiving. Ayirebi pleaded not guilty while the pleas of the boys were not taken.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Thomas Koblah Arshon told the Breman Asikuma Magistrate court that on September 30, this year, Opanyin Kwesi Aduah, a farmer from Amanfopong detected that a quantity of his dried cocoa beans have been stolen from his house.

Inspector Arshon said Opanyin Aduah caused gong-gong to be beaten in search for the beans.

The Court heard that on Oct. 3, this year, Kojo Salifu, a relative to Opanyin Aduah, was found spending lavishly to the suspicion of the mother who confronted him to know the source of his income. Upon interrogation, Salifu confessed stealing the cocoa beans and named the other two boys as accomplices.