10 Armed Robbers Remanded

The Accra Circuit Court yesterday remanded in prison custody 10 suspected armed robbers for their alleged involvement in the shooting and killing of a police constable at Weija near Accra. The accused persons, aged between 21 and 28, are Kwasi Boadi, aka K.K, unemployed; Kwame Anokye, alias Tagor, driver�s mate; Amos Bortey Borketey, driver; Isaac Addo Mensah, alias Almera and Yaw Richard, alias Opuni, driver. The rest are Sylvester Otwe, driver�s mate; Kwame Bentum, farmer; Mary Komabu, alias New Town madam, Feyi Stephen and Evelyn Dorson. Charges The accused persons, who were also arrested for their alleged involvement in the robberies of a number of stores at Abeka-Lapaz, Weija, Madina and Tema, were charged with four counts of robbery, abetment of crime, conspiracy and attempt to commit crime. They, however, pleaded not guilty and were remanded to reappear on January 26, 2015. Background The prosecution told the court, presided over by Mr Francis Obiri, that the complainants were managers of companies dealing in various electrical appliances and general commodities. It stated that Boadi, Anokye, Borketey, Mensah, Richard, Otwe and Bentum and four others, now at large, were notorious armed robbers who were terrorising law-abiding citizens within Madina, Weija, Kasoa and the Tema metropolis. The prosecution said at about 1.58 a.m. on December 9, 2014, Boadi, Anokye, Borketey, Mensah, Richard, Otwe and Bentum and the four others, now at large, attacked the Melcom Company stores at Madina, shot and killed the security officer, Emmanuel Torsu, and broke into the store. They managed to bolt with two big flat screen television sets worth GHc5,800 and unspecified brand new mobile phones. On January 6, 2015, the Accra Regional Police Command gathered intelligence that Boadi, Anokye, Borketey, Mensah, Richard, Otwe and Bentum and four others had armed themselves with pistols and vehicles to rob at Weija and Abeka-Lapaz. A team of policemen were detailed to intercept and counter their intended purpose, the prosecution said. The police team proceeded to Weija where they spotted Boadi and his accomplice, identified as Ike Ofori, and Yaw Amponsah, who are now deceased, and two others who managed to escape aboard a Ford bus that headed towards Kasoa. �The police followed them gradually but the accused persons noticed the police and quickly made a U-turn towards Accra but were pursued by the police. The case of the prosecution �When the robbers got to Bortianor junction, they started shooting at the police and a bullet hit one Constable Prince Charles Akata,� the prosecution stated. It told the court that the police returned fire and also hit Ike Ofori and Yaw Amponsah while the rest of the armed robbers managed to escape with gunshot wounds. According to the prosecution, Constable Akata, Ike Ofori and Yaw Amponsah were rushed to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, but they were pronounced dead on arrival. It added that the police team proceeded to Abeka-Lapaz and managed to arrest Anokye, Borketey, Mensah, Richard, Otwe and Bentum. �During investigations, it came to light that Komabu was the person who normally sponsors the armed robbers financially and when they return, the booty is sold to her and she was arrested,� it said. According to the prosecution, the Accra Regional Police Command had information that Boadi, who had gunshot wounds, was being assisted by his wife, Evelyn Dorson, to get herbal treatment from Feyi Stephen at the Asuboi village in the Eastern Region. However, the police had information that Boadi, after taking the first aid from Feyi, escaped with his wife to Kwashie, a village near Asamankese, also in the Eastern Region. �The police proceeded to the village and arrested Boadi and his wife,� the prosecution told the court, adding that the police were carrying further investigations into the case.