I was hit with the butt of the gun-Witness
I was hit with the butt of the gun-Witness
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 March 2001
Mr Francis Mensah, third prosecution witness in the trial of Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Jack Bebli and six others in the highway gold robbery case on Thursday told the High Court hearing the case that one of the armed men who attacked them hit him on the chest with the butt of his gun.
The accused persons are being tried on various charges of conspiracy to commit crime, abetment of crime, abetment of robbery and robbery in connection with the robbery of eight gold bars valued at one million dollars, property of Amansie Resource in the Ashanti Region.
Bebli and two others, Patrick Boakye Mprah and ex-Corporal James Doli are on bail while Philip Asamoah, alias Agingo, Isaac Frimpong, alias Nii Baby Tei, Augustus Oko Odartey and Kofi Bokor, alias Kofi Bebli, are on remand.
Led in evidence by Mr Johannes Vegba, Assistant State Attorney, Mr Mensah, a security guard at the West Coast Allied Service, the private security company escorting the gold from Amansie to Accra on February 16, 1999, told the court that there was a convoy of three vehicles involved in conveying the gold.
He said the convoy consisted of a front escort vehicle, a bullion van and a rear escort vehicle. Witness said when they were getting near to Apam Junction, a Peugeot caravan carrying some armed men, crossed the convoy.
He told the court that as the driver of the front escort vehicle drove past the caravan two armed men dressed in military-type uniform alighted from the Peugeot and started firing gunshots.
Witness said one of the men came to their vehicle and ordered him to get down but while he was complying, the man who was masked hit him on the chest with the butt of the gun and asked him to lie on the ground.
Witness who corroborated the evidence by the first prosecution witness, Mr Eric Boateng, said the man first disarmed the policeman who was on the convoy.
Mr Mensah said apart from ordering Boateng to also lie down, the armed man shot Teddy Amevor, the driver of their vehicle, in the hand, and he saw blood oozing out. "Soon after, the man ordered us to board our vehicle and lie flat in it."
Witness said, as there was not enough space, "we were asked to keep our heads low." He said he then heard the armed men violently hitting the bullion.
Mr Mensah said he overheard the armed men saying in pidgin English that the things are eight, and that they will have to share them four-four.
Witness said after the men had left, they found that the rear escort van had one of its rear tyres deflated, and bullet holes in the car.
He told the court that not only had the bullion vehicle been put into a ditch, but also to their utter dismay, the armed men had carried the gold away.
Witness said they replaced the deflated tyre and drove to Apam where they reported to the police. Further hearing was adjourned to Wednesday, March 7.
GRi…/
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