Alleged police robbery case : Court rules today

Tuesday, November 17, 2009 (Page 3)

THE Accra Circuit Court will today decide the fate of six policemen and six civilians who are alleged to have attacked and robbed a Switzerland-based Ghanaian businessman at a hotel in Accra on February 2, 2009.
The accused persons are Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Kwapong of the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Inspector Thomas Adu, Sergeant John Agyapong, Corporal Lawrence Dennis Quansah and Lance Corporal Karimu Muntari.
The others, Constable Ken Duodu Acheampong, Constable Benjamin Blejumah, Aams Amanor, Kwasi Tawiah, Peter Kwame Gyasi, Bismark Ampofo and Jeffrey Kwame Atta (aka Kay), were alleged to have played various roles in the attack.
The accused persons had all pleaded not guilty to two counts of conspiracy and robbery and had been refused bail.
Acheampong, Jeffrey and three others whose names have not been provided are on the run.
The trial judge in the matter is Mr Mahamadu Iddrisu, who is currently a High Court judge.
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 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.
The accused persons, who were put before two separate courts, were initially charged with stealing and granted bail but the then acting Inspector-General of Police, Mrs Elizabeth Mills-Robertson, ordered their re-arrest and the substitution of the charge from stealing to robbery.
The cases were later consolidated and put before Mr Iddrisu’s court for trial.
Five prosecution witnesses, including Mr Duah, were called during the trial, which lasted four months.
Mr Duah had identified Chief Inspector Adu as the person who, together with a soldier and a policeman, had allegedly assaulted him but said the soldier and the policeman were not in court.
He also narrated the roles some of the accused persons played leading to the loss of his $50,000 and other valuables.
A manager of the hotel where he was attacked also testified and stated that he had witnessed the attack on Mr Duah. Three police officers also testified for the prosecution.
However, the accused persons, in their defence, denied any wrongdoing and insisted that they were innocent of all the charges levelled against them.