Policemen held over robbery granted GH¢80,000 bail each
Five policemen, who were nabbed for allegedly robbing a student of GH¢20,000 at gun point at East Legon, Accra, have been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.
The Court presided over by Mrs Rosemond Torsu admitted the policemen to bail in the sum of GH¢80,000 with three sureties.
Two of the sureties, the Court said, should be public servants earning not less than GH¢2,000 a month.
The matter has been adjourned to July 13.
The accused persons are: General Lance Corporal Redeemer Agama, General Constables Wishwell Odoo, Evans Amwagsi, Lawat Agyapong and Sena Kuvordo.
They are facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime-robbery and conspiracy to commit crime to wit giving bribe to influence public officer.
The policemen, from the National Deployment Force (RDF) at the National headquarters, are also said to have offered their case investigator GH¢2,500.00 bribe to cover them up in the matter.
They have denied the charges.
When sitting resume today, Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evans Kesse, informed the Court that the Police was almost done with the preparation of witness statements and was optimistic that by the next court sitting the police would file and serve same on the accused persons and their lawyers.
The prosecution informed the Court that at the next sitting, it would amend count three of the charges preferred against the accused persons.
Mr Yaw Danquah, who was being led by Mr Andrew Kudzo Vortia, repeated his bail application for the accused persons, saying they were not flight risk because they resided at Police Barracks and that the Police administration knew their respective hometowns.
The defence counsel also assured that the accused persons would not jump bail.
Mr Dankwah prayed the Court to be given enough time so they could scrutinise the various documents filed by the Prosecution for a “good show down in court.”
The facts as presented before the Court are that the complainant, Jeffery Mackeon Yeboah, was a student and a businessman, while the accused persons who were with the RDF Unit, usually performed vehicular patrol duties.
Prosecution said on May 24, this year, at about 0200 hours, the complainant was on board an Uber around the University of Professional Studies, Accra, when the accused persons were on Operation Calm Life Police Service vehicle with arms meant for night patrol.
It said the policemen forced the victim (complainant) into a Police patrol vehicle and accused him of scamming.
The Prosecution said the accused persons threatened the complainant with harm and asked the complainant to hand over every penny on him as they drove him from Madina to Awudome cemetery, near Kaneshie.
It said the accused persons demanded over GH₵20,000.00 from the complainant amid terrorizations.
The prosecution said the accused persons ordered the complainant to transfer the cash from his bank account through online banking system into his mobile money account.
“Accused persons continued to hold the victim hostage at Kwame Nkrumah Circle and a civilian joined them in the Police Patrol vehicle.
The victim, acting on instructions of the accused persons amidst threats and harm transferred cash in the sum of GH¢20,000.00 from his Ecobank Account,” it said.
The prosecution said having robbed the victim (complainant) of his money, they deleted the transaction records on his phone and drove him to Kwame Nkrumah Circle and forced him into a taxi.
It said the accused persons instructed the taxi driver to move his car without looking back and they sped off.
The prosecution said a report was made to the Police and investigations led to the arrest of the Policemen and the cash of GH¢20,000.00 was also retrieved.
It said after the arrest of the policemen, they bribed the case investigator with cash in the sum of GH¢2,500.00 to cover them up in the case.
The prosecution said an itemised bill had been sent to Abeka District court for disclosures and efforts were underway to arrest the civilian accomplice whose mobile money account was used to facilitate the crime.
Source: GNA