The Odumase Krobo Circuit, presided over by His Honour, Judge Kwesi Apiatse Abaiddu, has handed a seven-year prison sentence to one Issifu Nyandi.
He was found guilty of attempting to smuggle bags of cocoa beans from Ghana to neighboring Togo.
The accused, who was convicted on his own plea, was arrested with the cocoa beans on Wednesday, April 24th, by the Anti-Cocoa Smuggling Taskforce, while aboard a Ho-bound Ford Transit Bus with registration number GG-2749-21.
He intended to transport them to the Republic of Togo.
According to the facts of the case presented in court on Friday, April 26th, the Anti-Cocoa Smuggling Taskforce, acting on a tip-off, intercepted the said bus around 5: p.m. and, upon thorough search, subsequently retrieved six bags of cocoa beans concealed in poly sacks.
Upon interrogation, the accused, Issifu, claimed ownership of the contraband.
The prosecution stated that, the accused purchased the cocoa beans from Koforidua in the Eastern Region and transported them to Tudu in Accra with the purpose of carting them to the Republic of Togo to sell.
However, upon receiving a tip-off, the Taskforce swiftly arrested him while on board the bus and subsequently handed him over to the Akosombo Police on the same day.
Upon further investigations, Issifu was arraigned before the Odumase Krobo Circuit and charged with offenses of Purchase of Cocoa without authority contrary to S4 of the Ghana Cocoa Board Act, 1984 (PNDCL 81), attempting to smuggle cocoa beans contrary to S317 (i) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act 1960 (Act 29), and attempting to export cocoa beans which have not been inspected, graded, and sealed by an Inspector of cocoa, contrary to S 3 of Cocoa Industry Regulations Act, 1968 (NLCD 278).
According to the Laws of Ghana, the penalty under S4 of PNDCL 81 is a custodial sentence of between five and ten years without an option of a fine.
The accused therefore pleaded guilty to the offenses and was subsequently convicted on his own plea by the Presiding Judge to seven years in prison.
According to sources, two earlier convictions were recorded by the same court last week, highlighting the increasing spate of incidents of cocoa smuggling in the country in recent times.
The swift and decisive actions taken by the Anti-Cocoa Smuggling Task Force not only thwarted the nefarious attempts by the convict at circumventing the laws of the country.
This also underscored the vigilance and determination of the Ghana Cocoa Board and other security agencies to combat the illegal activities that continue to threaten the integrity and survival of Ghana’s cocoa industry.
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