Two Nigerians remanded for robbery
Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) 29 August 2000
Kofi Korang, 25, one of two men arrested on suspicion of engaging in armed robbery at the Sunyani Police barrier on August 17, was discharged from prison custody on Monday for want of evidence when he made his second appearance at the Sunyani Community Tribunal on Monday.
The police withdrew an earlier charge of possessing fire arms and attempted robbery against the two suspects but charged the second suspect, Richard Kwadwo Nkrumah, 27, with stealing and possessing a pistol without authority.
He pleaded guilty and the tribunal, presided over by Mr. Charles Adjei Wilson, remanded him in prison custody to reappear on September 7 for judgement.
Police Inspector Kingsley Barfi told the tribunal that Nkrumah took advantage of the absence of his brother, Corporal Opoku Nelson, a soldier at Burma Camp, and stole his pistol, a set of army uniform and two knives and travelled with his friend, Korang, to Odumase, near Sunyani.
It was at Pokukrom that a witness spotted the pistol on the accused when they got down after the passenger vehicle on which they were travelling burst one of its tyres.
On reaching the police barrier, the witness reported this to the police and the two men were arrested.
In his explanation, Nkrumah said he had made several attempts to be enlisted into the army without success and this had made him a laughing stock of his friends and relatives at Odumase.
Therefore, when his brother was sent to the Bundase Military Range on a special duty, he decided to steal his pistol and other items to show to his friends that he had been enlisted as a soldier.
Nkrumah said Korang did not know anything about his plan.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 29 August 2000
Nathaniel Addy, a convict at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison, who assaulted a 53-year-old woman, appeared before an Accra Circuit Tribunal on Monday.
Addy, 28, an electrician, who was charged with causing harm, pleaded not guilty.
He will re-appear on September 5.
The tribunal chaired by Mrs. Elizabeth Anderson Yebuah, heard that on April 2 this year the accused person went to Ms Comfort Bonney’s (the complainant) house at Russia near Dansoman to look for her daughter who is his girl friend.
When the complainant said she had not seen her, Addy accused the woman of preventing them from getting married. He pounced on Ms Bonney, beat her until she became unconscious, stripping her naked in the process.
Ms Bonney was rescued by her children and was taken to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital where she was admitted.
Addy went into hiding until July 17 when the police were informed about his involvement in another incident for which he is now serving a six-month jail term.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 29 August 2000
An Accra Circuit Tribunal on Monday remanded in custody two Nigerians who raided a house at Taifa in Accra, at gunpoint and made away with household items and 1.7 million cedis cash.
Austin Ogbonauaya Duru, 18, and Kenneth Obura Onunku Njoku, 23, have been charged with conspiracy and robbery. They pleaded not guilty and will appear on September 6.
The tribunal chaired by Mrs. Elizabeth Anderson Yebuah heard that the complainant was awakened from sleep at about 4 am of August 2, 2000 by an unusual noise in his house.
She saw a group of people breaking into their living room and raised the alarm but the intruders, including the accused persons fired warning shots and warned that anybody who came out would be killed.
The complainant opened the door and accused persons ordered them to lie on the floor as they searched the rooms.
They took away 1.7 million cedis cash, two Sanyo loud speakers, a tape recorder, an electric iron, a mobile phone and a charger.
The prosecutor said after the robbery, Duru and Njoku hid the booty in a nearby bush and came back later in the afternoon in a taxi to collect them.
The taxi driver however became suspicious when the men went to the bush to retrieve the items and alerted some residents who arrested them when they emerged from the bush.
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