Four persons are in the grips of the police for the possession and alleged smuggling of 328 bags of “Cocoa Eduane Fertilizers’ at Samreboi in the Western Region.
They are Amadu Combat, 55, Kingsley Buah Wiredu, 32, Issaka Mbawuni, 38 and Dawda Yakubu, 44.
They appeared before the Takoradi Circuit Court B where they were discharged and later rearrested by the police.
According to the police prosecution, the four were seen loading the fertilizers into a cargo truck when they were arrested.
They were charged with causing financial loss to the state but the court presided over by her Honour Miss Abigail Asare discharged them because the facts did not support the charge and were rearrested.
In an interview, the Director, Special Duties of COCOBOD, Charles Amenyaglo said, the distribution of the cocoa fertilizers is the sole responsibility of COCOBOD, adding that they have rolled out flexible payment plans after they have been delivered at a highly subsidized rate to cocoa farmers.
He noted that, though COCOBOD makes it easy for the farmers to get the fertilizers some people still go around buying from the farmers.
“We came to court to present people who have unlawfully been purchasing cocoa fertilizers delivered to farmers at a higher subsidised rate. Some of them have made it their business to be going round buying cocoa fertilizers which has been delivered to the farmers at their doorsteps, so that they could use them on the cocoa farms.
For COCOBOD until the fertilizers are applied to the farms, ownership in the fertilizers still remain with COCOBOD. We procure these fertilizers at about GH¢ 560, which are given to the farmers at GH¢80,” He said.
Reacting to the outcome of the hearing, Mr Amenyaglo’ said, he was not surprised.
He however said he’s not going to rest until the law deal with the suspects.
” I am not surprised because this fluid situation if someone doesn’t who doesn’t understand our operations well, takes the matter up without proper investigation. It will look to the court as if the charges are not being supported by the facts and this is what has happened today.
I am here to assist with investigations to the Police to function out appropriate charges against them,” He stated.
