Five persons, who collected various sums of monies to purchase cocoa beans for a buying company and failed to do so, have appeared before the Asamankese Circuit Court charged with defrauding. They are Daniel Atiemo, 43 and George Djamgah 39, both purchasing clerks, Daniel Ankrah, 61, Peter Larweh, 63, and Noah Tettey, 25, all farmers. Atiemo and Djamgah pleaded guilty while the rest pleaded guilty with explanation and were all granted bail in the sum of GH¢200 each with two sureties. Police Chief Inspector Benjamin Brew, prosecuting, told the court that during the 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 cocoa season at Suhum, the accused persons, with intent to defraud, collected the various sums from Isaac Bonsu, District Manager of the Kuapa Cocoa Company Limited. He said Atiemo took GH¢714; Djamgah GH¢2,238; Ankrah GH¢1,626; Larweh GH¢1,953 and Tettey GH¢1,530. Inspector Brew said they collected the monies to supply the company bags of dried cocoa beans but failed to honour their promises and all efforts that the complainant made to either retrieve the money or obtain the cocoa beans proved futile. He said a report was later made to the police and the accused persons were arrested. In their caution statements they all admitted the offence and after investigations they were charged with the offence. Source: GNA