No bail for six suspected cops

Saturday, March 14, 2009 (Page 3 )

THE Accra Circuit Court has refused to grant bail to six policemen and their accomplice who were alleged to have robbed a businessman at a hotel in Accra.
According to the court, it was premature for defence lawyers to ask for bail for the accused persons.
The accused persons are DSP Patrick Kwapong of the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU), Chief Inspector Thomas Adu, Sergeant John Agyapong, Corporal Lawrence Dennis Quansah, Lance Corporal Karimu Muntari, Constable Benjamin Blejumah and Hans Amanor, a civilian friend of the victim’s.
However, Constable Ken Duodu Acheampong, Kwasi Tawiah, Peter Kwame Gyasi, alias Kwame Tawiah, Bismark Ampofo, Jeffrey, alias Kay, and three others whose names were not provided are on the run.
The accused persons had earlier been charged with conspiracy, unlawful entry and stealing but the charges have been substituted with conspiracy and robbery.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges but the court declined to grant them bail after their lawyers had pleaded for it.
Accordingly, they were remanded to reappear on March 25, 2009.
The accused persons were alleged to have robbed Mr Kwaku Duah, who lives in Europe, at a hotel in Accra and taken away $53,000, €1,000, GH¢2,000, a black bag containing two compact disc Walkman players, a set of keys, a digital camera and a Standard Chartered Bank cheque book, all valued at $4,000.
At the court’s sitting in Accra yesterday, the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police George Abavelim, prayed the court to remand the accused persons, since investigations were ongoing.
According to the facts of the case, on February 2, 2009, Chief Inspector Adu allegedly led the team of policemen to the hotel at Dzorwulu and allegedly robbed Mr Duah of the items and the cash.
In addition, Chief Inspector Adu and his men allegedly assaulted Mr Duah, whom they had framed up with narcotic charges.
Mr Duah, who, for the past 20 years had been living outside the country, returned to Ghana to purchase gold and, having stayed away for that long, he contacted a friend, one Amanor, who is based in Tema, to find somebody who could help him get the gold.
In the evening of Mr Duah’s arrival, Amanor took him to a house in Tema to meet the man who was supposed to be in possession of gold, but the man never showed up, after waiting for him for hours.
They, therefore, decided to have him come to Duah’s hotel the following day with the mineral for the transaction to take place.
As agreed, on the following day, February 2, Amanor showed up at the hotel around 10 a.m. with two other persons with a box containing the supposed gold.
The policemen and the other accused persons played various roles in ransacking Mr Duah’s hotel room, taking away the other items.
The police, in addition, allegedly demanded $30,000 from the victim or have his photograph published in the media for dealing in cocaine.
When he pleaded that he did not have the money, Mr Duah was later driven by the police to Tema and dumped at a spot.