Charge Sheet Of How Kwabenya Fugitives Escaped Lawful Custody

The Accra Circuit Court Tuesday convicted two of the suspects who escaped from the Kwabenya District Police station. Prince Osei aka Bebe and Kofi Darko were convicted after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to escape from lawful custody and escape from lawful custody.

The court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh, today deferred their sentence to February 13, 2018

The third accused person, Kofi Darko, who was charged with the same offences, however, pleaded not guilty.

Below is how the incident unraveled according to the police charge sheet

The complainants are policemen stationed at Kwabenya District Headquarters. The 1st accused person, Prince Osei @ Bebe aged 25 years, is a scrap dealer and lives at Gleffe near Dansoman.

The 2nd accused person Atta Kwadwo aged 20 years is a driver’s mate and lives at Arena Timber Market, Accra. The 3rd accused person Kofi Darko @Kofi Duku aged 25 years is a trader and lives at Gleffe Dansoman.

The 4th accused person Nancy Denta @ Awura Ama, aged 28 years lives at Dome, Accra.

The 5th accused person George Yeboah @ Akwesi Shower aged 30 years is an electrician and lives at Graphic Road behind Accra Brewery. The 6th accused person Prince Kofi Acheampong @ Nana Owuo, aged 32 years is a herbalist and lives at Afienya, Tema. The 7th accused person Edward Lartey, aged 20 years, lives at Tema Newtown.

The 8th accused person Kofi Seshie aged 28 years is a driver. The 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th accused persons are George Sarbah aged 23 years, Elvis Owusu aged 31 years, George Asante aged 33 years and Theophilus Banda aged 25 years respectively.

The plan to free suspects

The 8th and 12th accused people live in a compound house at Kasoa Nyanyano. On the 21/01/18 at about 1.30am, a gang of armed men numbering six, planned to attack the Kwabenya Police and free their colleagues who were held in detention for various violent crimes they were involved in, within the country.

In execution of their plans, the gangsters proceeded to Kwabenya Police station and two of them pretended they had a complaint to lodge, entered the charge office and told the counter NCO that someone borrowed money from them and refused to pay back. The counter NCO No. 43225 G/Cpl. Robert Owusu, advised him to seek redress at the civil court since the case they were reporting was civil.

During that time, the two of the gangsters turned and signaled the rest who laid ambush within the station and they launched attack on the policeman at the charge office. They shot Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi who was on duty as a monitoring officer on the right buttocks, held the counter NCO, his station orderly, the charge office guard and the night investigator hostage.

They took the keys to the cells and released seven of the inmates namely; Chibuzor Akwaba, a Nigerian, aged 34 years, Emmanuel Kotey, aged 21 years, Rockson Edem Dzigbede @ Herbalist, aged 24 years, Dickson Ofori aged 24 years and 1st, send and the 3rd accused persons.

Ashilevi dies

After the armed gang left, the counter NCO and the night investigator arranged for an ambulance and rushed Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi to the police hospital for treatment, but he was referred to 37 military hospital where he died on arrival.

The arrest

Police intelligence led to the arrest of the 5th accused person who assisted 1st and 2nd accused persons with GHc200.00 to escape out of the jurisdiction. The 5th accused person also gave GHc40.00 to 3rd accused person Kofi Darko, to enable him run out of the jurisdiction.

On 23/01/18 police intelligence led to the arrest of 1st and 2nd accused persons at Worawora in the Volta Region. Investigation revealed that whilst in detention on 18/01/18, 1st accused person overheard other inmates Chibuzor Akwuba, Dickson Ofori and Rockson Edem Dzigbede @ Herbalist, all at large, on Thursday 18/01/18, planning to escape.

The plot

In the evening Thursday 18/01/18, 4th accused person, brought a mobile phone to Dickson Ofori in the cells and he used same to contact his people outside to execute the plan. Rockson Edem Dzigbede’s brother brought a hacksaw blade to him by hiding it in bread to cut the padlock to the cells, but the hacksaw blade could not cut the padlock.

On interrogation, the 1st accused person stated that, he stole his gun from the 6th accused person’s boys whom he normally sends out on robbery expedition.

Snipper nabbed

Further investigation revealed that, it was the 6th accused person in collaboration with Dickson Ofori and Chibuzor, who sent the armed men to attack and release them from the cells which led to the death of Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi.

On 25/01/18 at about 2:00am, the 6th accused person was arrested together with the 7th accused person, who is also involved, at their hideout at Tema Afienya.

On 27/01/18 at about 2:30am, the 2nd accused person, Atta Kwadwo, led police to a house at Kasoa Nyanyano, and pointed out the 8th accused person to police as one of the gangs who came to rescue them from the cells, and also shot and killed the police officer.

The 9th to the 12th persons in the house believed to be the accomplices of the 8th accomplices, were also arrested to assist police investigations. Investigation is still ongoing.