GRi in Court Ghana 02 - 02 - 2001
Two cops remanded
for extortion
Armed robber
refused bail by Tema High Court
Two cops remanded
for extortion
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 February
2001
Two Policemen who allegedly
threatened and extorted 3 million cedis from Alhaji Mohammed Mahay, an employee
of "Love Me company Limited",
have been remanded in prison custody by an Accra Circuit Tribunal.
Constable Sampson Anthony Kontomah
and Constable Michael Attibu who accused Mahay of dealing in illegal exchange
of currencies, arrested him and demanded 3 million before they would release
him.
The accused persons, who pleaded
not guilty to conspiracy and extortion, will appear again on February 8.
The tribunal, chaired by Mr.
Mohammed Nabon, ordered the arrest of two accomplices, Jacob Acquah, a driver
and Doris Nartey, security woman.
The tribunal heard that on June 6
last year, Kontomah was detailed to collect moneys at various companies at
Kasoa and Osu together with Doris and Acquah both of who work with Gocrest
Security Company.
After the team had completed their
rounds, Kontomah collected Attibu who was on duty at Amalgamated Bank near
Asylum Down and proceeded to Maamobi in a pickup.
At about 10 a.m. Mahay went to
Maamobi to visit some friends, holding a handbag containing 12.4 millions
intended for the purchase of iron rods and sand.
They bought some food and while
eating, Kontomah and Attibu arrested
them, seized the bag of money and accused them of dealing in illegal exchange
of currencies.
The accused persons ordered Mahay
and his friends to board the pickup for the police station.
However on the way Kontomah and
Attibu extorted three million cedis from Mahay before releasing them and the
handbag.
When Mahay and his colleagues got
to their base, they found that the money in the bag was short by 6 million
cedis. They reported the case to the police and the accused persons were
arrested.
During investigations they
admitted taking three million cedis from Mahay but denied removing any other
money from the handbag.
Meanwhile Kontomah has refunded
one million cedis whiles Attibu also refunded 884,000 cedis.
Acquah and Doris have also
refunded 500,000 cedis and 700,000 cedis respectively.
GRi…/
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Armed robber
refused bail by Tema High Court
Tema (Greater Accra) 02 February
2001
A Tema High Court on Wednesday
refused to grant bail to Kissei Otubuah, a fisherman who, together with three
others, has been on trial for armed robbery at the Tema circuit tribunal since
April last year.
Turning down the request for bail,
Mrs Felicity Amoah, the presiding judge said she takes a very serious view of
the case in the wake of the rampant armed robberies, adding: "I find it
unwise, at least for the moment, to grant the accused bail".
She advised counsel for the
accused, Mr Alfred Agbesi, to re-apply at a later date.
Otubuah and Korley Sorgbordjor, a
caddie, have been charged for robbery at the residence of Mr William Christian
Tandoh, Director of the Celebrity Golf Club House.
Otubuah who has been in custody
since April last year, petitioned the High Court following the refusal of the
tribunal to grant him bail.
The two have been accused of
stealing 9.8 million cedis, a single barrel gun, gold trinkets, two wristwatches,
two electronic calculators and other valuable items belonging to Mr Tandoh. Mr
Agbesi had argued that his client never took part in the robbery.
He denied claims by the police
that a single barrel gun stolen during the robbery was found in the house of
Otubuah, saying the police never went to his client's house.
He said on the day of the offence
his client, a fisherman, had just returned from sea and was relaxing at his
house at the Sakumono village when the police arrested him.
The prosecution said on April 22,
2000, Otubuah, Sorgbordjor, and two others, now at large, attacked Mr Tandoh's
residence at about 2 a.m. after they had tied up the watchman and the
complainant's driver.
While Otubuah and Sorgbordjor
guarded their captives, the other two broke into the room, held Mr Tandoh and
his wife at gunpoint and ordered them to surrender all their money. The couple
brought out a total of 9.8 million cedis.
The prosecution said while the
robbers were at it, the driver managed to untie himself and ran to Sakumono to
raise the alarm but the thieves bolted with the money, a single barrel gun and
other belongings before help came.
During police investigations,
Sorgbordjor was arrested and this led to the arrest of Otubuah.
Police recovered Mr Tandoh's gun,
which was hidden in the ground in front of Otubua's room.
GRi…/
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