A 49-year-old trader, Ernestina Osei, on Friday appeared before the Asamankese Circuit Court, charged with stealing 60 gallons of palm oil valued at GHc108.
She pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of GHc600 with one surety. She will reappear on May 17.
Police Inspector Francis Cobbina, prosecuting, told the court that at about 2300 hours on April 16 at Otumi in the Eastern Region, Ernestina stole 60 gallons of palm oil worth from the complainant, Evelyn Frimpomaa.
He said the complainant gave GHc5, 400 to four workers of Abirem Palm Oil Processing Mill at Otumi to process 30 drums of palm oil for her.
Inspector Cobbina said at about 1900 hours on April 17, the complainant went to the mill to check on the palm oil produced but detected that 60 gallons of what had been processed by her workers were missing.
She therefore reported the case to the Police, leading to the arrest of Ernestina who confessed during interrogation to have collected 50 gallons of the palm oil from the mill.
Ernestina however told the police that she took the palm oil to defray a debt owed her by the owner of the mill.