16-year old armed robber rapes 44-year-old trader

Alhassan Abdul Kadir, a 16-year-old porter, was yesterday arraigned before an Accra Circuit for allegedly raping a 44-year-old trader after robbing her of her household items worth GH¢5,000.

The accused person, who went on the operation with the help of two other accomplices currently at large, was charged with conspiracy and robbery in a court presided over by Francis Obiri.

His alleged accomplices, whose names he gave to the police as Tofik and Sule, reportedly took turns to rape the trader after the 16-year-old finished his bestial act.

Kadir, believed to have taken part in other robberies around Dansoman, pleaded not guilty to the offences and has been remanded in police custody to re-appear on January 4, 2013.

The facts of the case, as presented by the prosecuting officer DSP Patrick Morkeh, told the court that the accused person was a porter at Timber Market whilst the complainant was a trader and lived at Alpha Beta School at Dansoman.

According to him, on November 14, 2012, at around 1:20 am, the accused person, in the company of three others, entered the compound of the complainant with locally-manufactured guns and broke into her room.

They took 15 pieces of cloth, four pieces of lace, four leather wristwatches, a box of jewellery, among others, amounting to GH¢5,000, at gunpoint.

He said on November 28, 2012, after the case was reported to police, investigations carried out led to the discovery of the hide-out of the suspects.

The police were able to arrest Kadir but his accomplices managed to escape.

The prosecutor said the accused person mentioned the names of his accomplices as Tofik and Sule and was arraigned after police concluded investigations.

Kadir was also arraigned after he and his gang reportedly robbed another lady of her personal effects and household items.

He was put in the same court and pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and robbery and is to re-appear on January 4, 2013.

The accused person and his accomplices reportedly wielded machetes and ransacked her bag, took money, two mobile phones, a DVD Player and her clothes, all amounting to GH¢1,500.