The crackdown on cocoa smuggling by the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) seems to be intensifying, with recent successful operations resulting in arrests and convictions.
This, according to COCOBOD, is because its war against illicit activities of cocoa smuggling syndicates, launched with support from the state’s security agencies, continues to yield positive results.
It cited the Krobo Odumase Circuit Court in the Eastern Region, where two men were separately sentenced to seven years in prison for attempting to smuggle bags of cocoa beans from Ghana into neighbouring Togo.
The court presided over by Kwesi Apiatse Abaiddu, sentenced one Issifu Nyandi, to seven years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to smuggle bags of cocoa beans from Ghana to neighbouring Togo.
The same court handed a seven-year jail term to another suspect, a 38-year-old electrician, Kingsley Kotto, for similar offences.
Kingsley Kotto, together with Eric Kwabena Darko, a driver aged 41, were arrested at Maame Wata community near Juapong by personnel of the Anti-Cocoa Smuggling Task Force whilst attempting to smuggle bags of cocoa beans to neighbouring Togo.
On Friday, April 12, 2024, three trucks of smuggled cocoa beans were intercepted by the Kpando Municipal Command of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) at Kpando Torkor in the Volta Region.
The registration numbers of the vehicles, which were intercepted between 0040 and 0400 hours on Friday, April 12, are GE 1782-U, AS 7907-22 and GT 5932-12.
Facts on the Kingsley Kotto case presented in the Krobo Odumase Circuit Court by the police, on Thursday, April 25, 2024, said that personnel of the Anti-Cocoa Smuggling Task Force, while on routine checks on the Atimpoku-Hohoe Highway, suspected a sprinter bus with registration number AS-4175-23, which was loaded with agrochemicals en route from Kumasi towards Hohoe.
Upon thorough search of the vehicle, ten (10) bags of dried cocoa beans concealed in rubber bags and sacks were found. The driver of the vehicle, Eric Kwabena Darko, was subsequently arrested and handed over to the Akosombo Police where a formal complaint was lodged.
In the course of interrogation, Kwabena Darko, admitted in his caution statement and mentioned Kingsley Kotto as the one who contracted him to transport the beans from Nsutam in the Eastern Region at a charge of GH₵100.00 per bag for onward smuggling into the Republic of Togo.
Armed with this information, the police consequently arrested Kingsley Kotto who also admitted ownership of the contrabands and stated in his caution statement that he purchased the cocoa beans from a friend in Koforidua.
Investigations further proved that the 10 bags of cocoa beans were not inspected, graded, and sealed by any recognized cocoa inspector, which is a criminal offence under the laws of Ghana.
Kingsley Kotto was therefore charged with offences of Purchase of Cocoa without authority contrary to S4 of Ghana Cocoa Board Act, 1984(PNDCL81), Attempting to smuggle cocoa beans contrary to S317 (i) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act 1960(Act29), 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(NLCD278).
He was found guilty on his plea and sentenced to seven years in prison by the court.
However, the driver, Eric Kwabena Darko, who was charged with aiding and abetting, was later discharged after investigations revealed he did not conspire with Kotto to smuggle the items.
The Ghana News Agency (GNA) quotes, Superintendent Michael Amoako-Atta, Head of Public Affairs, GIS said the Officer-in-Charge of the GIS in the Kpando Municipal Command, Deputy Superintendent of Immigration (DSI) Peter Austin Hall, and a team of Officers were deployed based on intelligence to Kpando Torkor.
He said a boat suspected to be coming from the Afram Plains was loaded with bags of cocoa beans.
Superintendent Amoako-Atta said the officers covertly observed the offloading of the cocoa beans into the three trucks, which were parked close to the landing site, ready to be smuggled through an unapproved route from Wli to Togo.
He said the suspects; Wahab Abdulai, Nicholas Agbesi and Fodume, all aged 42, were arrested.
Superintendent Amoako-Atta said the suspects and the trucks had been handed over to the Kpando Police for further action.
He noted that the GIS remained resolute in the protection of borders and prevention of cross-border crimes.
Superintendent Amoako-Atta applauded border residents and the public for continuously collaborating with the Service through information-sharing.
He urged citizens to report suspicious persons and activities to the GIS and other security agencies in line with the “See Something, Say Something” campaign.
