A 41-year-old farmer, who stole a quantity of dried cocoa beans worth GH¢32.20 at Adu-Gyan village in the Birim Central Municipality, has been jailed one year six months by a Magistrate Court at Akim Oda. Kwasi Mensah, charged with stealing, admitted the offence. Stealing of cocoa beans has become the order of the day in the area to an extent that children, women and old men indulge in the practice. Briefing the court presided over by Mr Albert Owusu Annor, the prosecution said on December 14, 2010 the complainant Mr S.P. Kwakye was fermenting a quantity of his cocoa beans on his farm when the theft occurred. He said during midnight on the same day, a witness in the case, spotted Mensah stealing some of the cocoa beans which was later valued at GH¢32.20. He added that the witness singlehanded arrested Mensah. The prosecution said Mensah pleaded for forgiveness, but he was not spared, adding that the witness escorted the convict to the complainant who also escorted Mensah to the police station. Source: GNA