Alleged kidnappers of bank CEO face fresh charges

Accra, Sept. 9, GNA - Eleven persons, including five soldiers, who allegedly kidnapped Mr. Albert Mmegwa, Managing Director (MD) of Intercontinental Bank and his driver, Mr. Richard Makumator, were on Wednesday slapped with fresh charges when they appeared before a Fast Track High Court in Accra.

The new charges are conspiracy to rob and robbery. They were previously facing two charges of conspiracy and kidnapping and now face six counts of conspiracy to rob, robbery, conspiracy and kidnapping. They have pleaded not guilty and the court has remanded them into prison custody to reappear on September 18 when it would rule on various bail applications put in by their counsel.

The accused are, Moses Ayuoba, a trader, George Agyei, a labourer, Samuel Eklou, a student, Foster Senoo, a taxi driver and Abdullai Mohammed Takai, an Information and Technology Consultant. The rest are Henry Adu Yeboah, Patrick Akeleyire, Andrews Dokyi, Godwin Avege and Thomas Obeng Agyei, all Lance Corporals in the Ghana Army. An accomplice, whose name was given as Alhassan, is said to be at large.

Mrs Helen Kwawukume, a Principal State Attorney, prayed the court to reject bail application put in by defence lawyers because the accused persons played active roles in the matter.

Mr. Kwablah Senanu, who represented Ayuoba, said the facts of the case did not march with the charges and asked whom the prosecution said the accused persons had robbed. He said the prosecution had deliberately included the charge of robbery so that the accused were denied bail. Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (Retired), who represented the soldiers, denied the charge of conspiracy to rob preferred against his clients. According to him, they only caused the arrest of the Managing Director and his driver as part of their duties. He said on the day of the incident, the soldiers did not have on them any weapon and asked the kind of weapon used by the soldiers in the alleged robbery.

Mr. G.S.K. Babanawo, who represented Agyei and Senoo, expressed shock over the charge of robbery saying it was an after-thought. The case of the prosecution is that after 2000 hours on April 6, Mr. Mmegwa and his driver closed from work and were heading towards Trassaco Valley Estate in Accra.

A few minutes before reaching his house, Eklou and Alhassan, now at large, together with the five soldiers, stopped the victim's Range Rover in the middle of the road and ordered the driver to alight and open the boot of the vehicle. The driver complied but he was asked to join Mr. Mmegwa in the back seat and they were made to bow their heads so that they could not be seen.

The military men then showed the MD a letter suggesting that he was wanted at the Military Headquarters.

After blindfolding them, Avege, drove the victims in their car. Senoo and Ayouba drove in a taxi ahead of the victims and took them to a house at East Legon where George Agyei, the caretaker, opened the gate for them to enter. The victims were kept in two separate dark rooms after their hands and legs had been tied to chairs on which they sat and were not offered any food. The five soldiers then drove the MD's car to Madina in Accra and abandoned it.

Moses Ayouba, the alleged ring leader, used Mr. Mmegwa's mobile phone to make a series of calls to bank officials and demanded money before releasing the victims. On April 8, Ayuoba told the MD that he was contracted to kill him and unless he offered him some money he was going to kill him. The MD agreed to give him 100,000 dollars and pay the balance when freed. Ayouba called Mr. Mmegwa's secretary to meet him with a parcel containing 100,000 dollars around Fiesta Royal Hotel, North Dzorwulu, in Accra.

Eklou approached the Secretary in her car and collected the 100,000 dollars on the instructions of Ayouba. After collecting the money, Ayouba purchased a Toyota Corolla vehicle for Foster Senoo.

The car was used in conveying the victims to a bush around Legon in Accra where they were abandoned. A week later Ayouba met Henry Adu Yeboah at the Trade Fair and offered him 4,000 dollars as their share of the booty. 9 Sept. 09