A sub-chief of Ada, Nene Tettehy Akpleh Ocansey VI, 57, and his brother, John Ocansey, 45, have been charged by the Ada District Court presided over by His Lordship Joseph Awah for abetment of crime and stealing of cassava valued at Ghc1,200.00.
A third person, Edem Quame Afeyedor who later bought the cassava has equally been charged for the same offences but failed to appear in court even though he has been served .
Presenting the case before the court, police prosecutor, Chief Inspector Robert Dokpornu said that in April 2022, the complainant, Eric Teye Agbashie visited his farm which is close to the residence of Nene Tettehy Ocansey VI at Hwakpo only to find out that his cassava had been uprooted and new cassava sticks had been planted.
The complainant reported the case to the Sege District Police who confronted Nene Ocansey VI, a chief of Ocansekopey as part of their investigations.
According to the prosecutor, Nene Ocansey confessed to the police CID and pleaded for an amicable settlement and further went ahead to seek the intervention of the Ada Divisional Police Commander at Kasseh who acted as an arbitrator.
The accused was made to pay an amount of Ghc1,500.00 to the complainant as compensation for damage cost in addition to the new farm.
The accused was warned not to step foot on the farm again which he agreed and also pleaded for forgiveness from the complaint.
However, the prosecutor said on the 17th of April this year, the complainant visited his farm and this time found 45-year-old John Ocansey, a brother to Nene Ocansey, uprooting the cassava on the farm again.
He again reported the case to the Sege District Police who followed up only to find the cassava in the house of Nene Ocansey who told the police that John Ocansey, his brother was the one who harvested the cassava.
The prosecutor told the court that the two were asked to report at the police station with the cassava the next day but they failed.
Instead, they sold the cassava to the third accused, Edem Quame Afeyedor, for Ghc200.00 which they later stated in their caution statements, leading to the arrest of the third accused.
The presiding judge, after hearing the prosecution, and the counsel granted the two who were in court to a sum of 5000ghc bail with two sureties each to reappear on 20th July 2023