7 persons facing criminal trials at Ashaiman circuit court

Seven accused persons are facing  criminal trials at the Ashaiman Circuit Court for multiple offences  including conspiracy to commit crime namely, robbery contrary to section 23 (1) and 149 of the criminal offences Act 1960(Act 29),robbery contrary to section 149 of the criminal offences Act 1960 (Act 29) amongst others.

All  seven accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against them.

The court presided over by His Honour Simon Gaga granted the prayer for bail by counsels representing the accused persons.

Whereas A1 and A6 were granted bail upon application of their counsel,A2 was refused bail.

A1 and A6 were granted bail in the sum of GHS100,000 with two sureties one of whom should be justified by landed property.

A3 and A7 were also granted bail in the sum of GHS100,000 with two sureties each one of the sureties should be justified with a landed property.

Prosecuting:ASP Ernest Kwofie presenting the D/Inspector Derick Debrah Investigative case told the court that A1, Alhassan Lukeman is a trader, A2, Amos Adigbo @Protocol is a labourer, A3 Sumiala Yakubu is a driver, A4 Eliasu Yakubu and A5 Abdulai Yakubu are driver's mate whilst A6 Christiana Mohammed and A7, Gurumpaga are traders.

On 18th December,2022, at 12:45 am, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and their accomplices, at large, armed with weapons, stormed the warehouse of Magico Company Limited, dealers in rice and general goods, at the Tema Industrial area and tied the legs and hands of the four security men on duty at the warehouse namely, Simon Oteng, Harris Nurudeen, Emmanuel Mensah and Kelvin Nimo.

A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and their accomplices broke the padlocks of the warehouse and stole 3,108 bags of assorted brands of rice, valued at GHS2,251,295.71, into five trucks including CF DAF with registration number GN 7032-16 driven by A3.

Police intelligence led to the arrest of A3, A4, A5 and A6 at Community 1 Tema where they were discharging some of the rice into a house.

Police retrieved a total of 678 bags of rice valued at GHS420,360.00 from the said house.

Police retrieved another 786 bags of complainant's rice valued at GHS597,060 from the shop of A7 at Official Town Ashaiman.

Another 963 bags of the rice valued at GHS597,060 were retrieved from H/NO.

C9553 Jericho Ashaiman as well as nine bags valued at GHS 5,580 which were retrieved from Acura vehicle number GN 1935-12, the private vehicle of A6.

A1 was subsequently arrested and in his investigation cautioned statement, he mentioned A2 as the leader of the robbery gang.

Investigations revealed that A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and accomplices, at large, agreed to rob the company of a quantity of rice for sale, for which A1 pre-arranged with A6 and A7 for purchase of their booty.

It was further detected that at the time of the robbery, the lights at the premises of the company were out therefore making it difficult for security men to see the accused persons.

It was detected further that immediately after the robbery, A1 sold 678 bags of rice to A6 and 786 bags to A7 at the cost of GHS650.00 per bag, even though the market price was GHS800.00.

It was further detected that the 963 bags of rice which were retrieved from a house in Ashaiman Jericho were deposited there at the instance of A1 as part of his plans to hide the booty.

Police investigations has so far led to the recovery of 2,436 bags of the company's rice valued at GHS1,510,320.00 upon hearing of the arrest of A1, A3, A4 and A5, A2 went into hiding.

On 20/03/2023, Police intelligence led to the arrest of A2 from his hideout and in his cautioned statement, he admitted being part of the robbery gang that robbed the company and mentioned the names of Bassit and Kwesi as some of the accomplices.

After investigations, the accused persons were charged with the offences as indicated on the charge sheet and arraigned before this court, whilst efforts are being made to get those at large arrested.