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The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), has arrested four persons who were in unlawful possession of about 328 bags of ‘Cocoa Eduane fertilizers’ at Samreboi in the Western Region.
They had loaded the fertilizers on an articulated truck ostensibly to transport them outside the area to sell to unsuspecting farmers at exorbitant prices.
The four suspects, Amadu Combat, 55; Kingsley Buah Wiredu, 32; Issaka Mbawuni, 38 and Dawda Yakubu, 44, were arrested on Sunday, September 11, 2022, by officials from Ghana Cocoa Board and were subsequently handed over to the police for further investigations.
However appearing at the Takoradi Circuit Court B, the Judge, Her Honour Abigail K Asare discharged the suspects of the charge of causing financial loss to the state indicating that the charge was not supported by the facts.
Meanwhile, Mr. Charles Amenyaglo, Director, Special Duties at COCOBOD told journalists after the hearing they will reappear in court with the appropriate charges.
He bemoaned the implication smuggling of these fertilizers can have on the cocoa production industry.