Cop robbers remanded - they used official car to commit crime (February 1, 2014 - lead story)

Isaac Nimako Yeboah (left) and Robert Fening Amponsah

Two policemen who used an official vehicle to commit robbery were yesterday remanded in custody by the Accra Circuit Court.

General Lance Corporal Robert Fenning Amponsah and General Lance Corporal Isaac Nimako Yeboah allegedly committed the offence with two others who are currently on the run.
They have each pleaded not guilty to four counts of conspiracy and four counts of robbery and were remanded by the court, presided over by Mr Francis Obiri, to reappear on February 12, 2014.
The two were alleged to have acted together with General Lance Corporal Andrew Adu-Poku and one Bright, both on the run, to rob their victims in some parts of Accra between October 2013 and January 2014.

Facts
The three policemen are stationed at Communication National Protection and Formed Police Units, while Bright, according to the prosecution, is a “supposed informant”.
According to the prosecution, the police administration had been receiving complaints of some police officers perpetuating robbery against members of the public.
The report also indicated that the robbers used a marked police Nissan Patrol vehicle in the commission of the crime.
Based on intelligence report, Amponsah, who was the driver in charge of service vehicle with registration number GP 3517, was arrested for investigation.

Caution statement of Amponsah
Amponsah in his caution statement admitted to the offence and mentioned Yeboah and Adu-Poku as his accomplices.
His confession resulted in the arrest of Yeboah. According to the prosecution, Yeboah stated in his caution statement that he, together with Amponsah and Adu-Poku, robbed their victims of GH¢3,500 in the month of October and November, 2013.
Yeboah has, however, denied being part of the team that robbed victims last month January, 11 and 18, 2014.
In the course of investigations, it was revealed that the accused persons conspired to commit robbery by playing various roles.
The police vehicle with two number plates used by the policemenThe police vehicle with two number plates used by the policemenPer their alleged roles, Amponsah was expected to use the service vehicle with registration number GP 3517 meant to convey his commander to work as the vehicle the group would use whenever they were to embark on a robbery operation.
Yeboah, for his part, used service weapons assigned to him for official duties to join his accomplices whenever they embarked on illegal operations.
According to the prosecution,  Adu-Poku was responsible for the procurement of number plates for the robbery while Bright provided information on potential victims.
A different number plate for the operation was provided by Adu-Poku. The fake number plate was usually embossed on the original fixed number plate before they embarked on each robbery expedition.

Findings
It was established during investigations that the accused persons, on various days of robberies, went to the banks where their victims went to withdraw money sent to them by their relatives and friends.
After the victims had come out of the bank to board a taxi home, the accused persons trailed them and crossed them with the police vehicle and arrested them.
They allegedly told the victims that they (victims) were “fraud boys”.
The prosecution said the accused persons allegedly beat up and threatened to lock up their victims in police cells if the victims refused to part with their monies.
Victims who refused to comply with the orders of the accused persons to part with their monies had their moneys forcibly taken away.
They then dropped off their victims at any location and sped off.