Cop denies conspiracy to rob businessman

Tuesday, July 21, 2009 (Page 31)

ONE of the policemen who are standing trial with 11 others for allegedly robbing a businessman on Friday, July 17, 2009 informed the Circuit Court hearing the case that his evidence incriminating one of his alleged accomplices was not an afterthought.
Lance Corporal Karimu Muntari had told the court in his evidence-in-chief that one of his alleged accomplices, Chief Inspector Thomas Adu, had struggled with the businessman, Mr Kwaku Duah, on the day of the alleged robbery, although Adu had earlier told the court that he (Adu) had not struggled with the businessman.
The accused person also informed the court that Adu arrived at the hotel where the incident took place in the company of Sergeant John Agyapong and Corporal Lawrence Dennis Quansah, both accused persons, and a soldier who is on the run.
Adu had earlier told the court that he (Adu) had arrived at the hotel in the company of Agyapong and Quansah but Muntari insisted that a soldier who the businessman had told the court had assaulted him on February 2, 2009 was also part of Adu’s entourage which arrived at the hotel in a Mercedes Benz saloon car.
Muntari is standing trial with DSP Kwapong of the Rapid Response Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Adu, Agyapong, Constable Benjamin Blejumah, Aams Amanor, Kwasi Tawiah, Peter Kwame Gyasi and Bismark Ampofo for allegedly playing various roles in the attack and robbery of Mr Duah.
The accused persons have all pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiracy and robbery and have been refused bail. 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.
Answering questions under cross-examination from counsel for Adu, Mr Dominic Kwame Nyamkon-Tetteh, Muntari denied lying to the court and further stated that he did not know Adu prior to the incident.
He told the court that he saw Adu and Acheampong struggling with Mr Duah and later Mr Duah was put in the Mercedes Benz in handcuffs.
Muntari informed the court during cross-examination from a Chief State Attorney, Ms Cynthia Lamptey, that he had not gone to the hotel to rob Mr Duah and further pointed out that he had not been sent with anybody to incriminate Mr Duah.
Answering questions under cross-examination from counsel for Kwapong, Mr Ellis Owusu Fordjour, the accused person told the court that there were other senior officers, apart from Kwapong, at the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) Unit, adding that it was Kwapong who gave him (Muntari), Acheampong and Blejumah a vehicle to effect an arrest at the hotel.
He told the court during cross-examination from lawyers for Aams, Tawiah, Gyasi and Ampofo that he did not know those persons before the incident.
Agyapong and Quansah, whose lawyers were not in court, said they had no questions for the accused person when the court requested them to cross-examine him.
Later, Blejumah told the court that he was at home when Muntari called him and informed him that Kwapong had sent them (Muntari, Blejumah and Acheampong) to effect the arrest of a suspected drug dealer in Tema.
Led by his counsel, Mr Dela Blagogee, to open his defence, the accused person told the court that he joined Muntari, Acheampong and a civilian who was driving the Toyota Corolla at the Airport Roundabout to Tema but on reaching Tema the driver received a call that the suspect was rather in Accra.
He said at the hotel, he saw the soldier struggling with Mr Duah, who was later handcuffed and put in the vehicle which was also occupied by Adu, Agyapong, the soldier and Acheampong.
According to Blejumah, the civilian who drove them to the hotel abandoned the car and joined a red pick-up which was being driven by Jeffrey and for that matter Muntari instructed him (Blejumah) to drive the Toyota Corolla.
He said Muntari asked him to follow the vehicle which carried Mr Duah to enable them to report back to Kwapong, adding that the pick-up and the Mercedes Benz went to the Tesano Police Depot.
Blejumah said he saw Kwapong coming towards the officers mess so he quickly got down from the Toyota Corolla and paid compliments. (Kwapong had earlier told the court in his evidence-in-chief that he did not send Muntari and Blejumah to effect the arrest of Mr Duah.)
The accused person told the court that he saw Adu taking Mr Duah to Kwapong, adding that he left the Police Depot with Muntari because he was on night duties.
Hearing continues today, July 20, 2009.