Cop on trial denies claims

July 6, 2009 (Page 28)

ONE of the policemen who were alleged to have assaulted and robbed a businessman at a hotel in Accra has denied claims that he posed as a narcotics officer on the day the businessman was robbed.
Corporal Lawrence Dennis Quansah also denied taking pictures of the businessman, Mr Kwaku Duah, at the Tesano Police Depot on February 2, 2009.
According to the accused person, he also did not observe anyone taking pictures of Mr Duah on the said day.
Quansah, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Kwapong of the Rapid Response Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Inspector Thomas Adu, Sergeant John Agyapong, Lance Corporal Karimu Muntari, Constable Benjamin Blejumah, Aams Amanor, Kwasi Tawiah, Peter Kwame Gyasi and Bismark Ampofo are standing trial for allegedly playing various roles in the attack and robbery of Mr Duah.
Corporal Quansah, Chief Inspector Adu, Sergeant Agyapong, Lance Corporal Muntari, Constable Blejumah, Amanor, Tawiah, Gyasi and Ampofo are charged with conspiracy and robbery while DSP Kwapong has been charged with two counts of conspiracy and stealing.
The accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been refused bail by the court, presided over by Mr Mahamadu Iddrisu. Acheampong, Jeffrey Kwame Attah, aka Kay, and three others whose names have not been provided are on the run.
The accused persons were alleged to have robbed Mr Duah, who lives in Europe, at a hotel in Accra and taken away $53,000, €1,000 and GH¢2,000. They were also alleged to have robbed the victim of a black bag containing two compact disc Walkman players, a set of keys, a digital camera, a cheque book and other items, all valued at $4,000.
Led by his counsel, Mr Ekow Korsah, to give his evidence-in-chief, Quansah said he, Adu and Sgt. Agyapong were on their way to eat when Adu received a call that someone was conducting illegal business at a hotel and therefore they should go and investigate.
He said on reaching the hotel he and his colleagues (Adu and Agyapong) realised Mr Duah was being manhandled by a police constable and a soldier.
According to the accused person, Jeffrey also showed up and claimed Mr Duah was involved in illegal business. He, however, told the court that nothing incriminating was found on Mr Duah.
He further stated that Mr Duah was taken to the Tesano Police Depot to meet DSP Kwapong but explained that he was not present when Mr Kwapong and the others interacted with Mr Duah.
He said although he later reminded Adu that they should go and buy food as planned, Adu told him (Quansah) that Mr Duah had complained that he (Mr Duah) had been robbed and needed assistance to retrieve his money from the robbers at Tema.
For that reason, the accused person said, he decided to join Adu, Kwapong and Agyapong to escort Mr Duah to Tema to retrieve his (Mr Duah's) money.
He said when the car that was being driven by Agyapong got to the Tema Motorway roundabout, Mr Duah requested that the car should be stopped to enable him (Mr Duah) to call a friend.
According to Quansah, Aams arrived some minutes later and it was during a meeting among Aams, Mr Duah, Adu and Kwapong that Aams pointed at Ampofo, who was then standing nearby, as one of the men who robbed Mr Duah.
Quansah said he (Quansah) arrested Ampofo and shoved him into the parked Mercedes Benz vehicle but Aams requested that Ampofo's arrest would lead to the abscond of the other suspects who were yet to be arrested for robbing Mr Duah.
He explained that he released Ampofo and at that point Mr Duah, Adu, Kwapong and Aams exchanged telephone numbers and parted.
He, therefore, denied any wrongdoing and claimed innocence over charges of conspiracy and robbery levelled against him.
He is expected to be cross-examined by a Chief State Attorney, Ms Cynthia Lamptey, on July 13, 2009.