Alleged Ada-Foa Cocoa smuggler granted bail 

Court Update

The Circuit Court in Dansoman has granted bail to Tefle-Tetteh Oscar. He is a 28-year-old self-employed man from Ada Foah. Oscar is on trial for attempting to smuggle cocoa beans from Ghana to Togo.

Judge Halimah El-Alawa Abdul-Baasit presided over the case. She set bail at GH¢90,000 with three sureties. All sureties must be justified.

As part of his bail conditions, Oscar must deposit his Ghana Card with the court registry. He also needs to report to the police every two weeks until further notice.

Oscar has pleaded not guilty to exporting cocoa beans without lawful authority. This charge violates Section 317(1)(g) of Act 29/1960.

On May 14, 2025, police conducted an operation in Ada Foah. They worked with personnel from the Ghana Cocoa Board due to reports of illegal smuggling activities. During this operation, officers found Oscar with 28 bags of cocoa beans valued at GH¢87,000. The beans were concealed in a house believed to belong to him.

Chief Inspector Christopher Wonder leads the prosecution. The court directed him to file all disclosures and witness statements before the next hearing. The case is adjourned until July 14, 2025.

Recently, the Ghana Cocoa Board and law enforcement have intensified operations against illegal cocoa exports. They claim these activities threaten the integrity and economy of Ghana's cocoa sector.