Armed Robber appeals for speedy trial

Nkawkaw, March 13, GNA - A 66-year-old armed robber, who has been on remand for the past three years awaiting advice from the Attorney General's Department has appealed to the Nkawkaw Magistrate Court to start his trail to enable him know his fate. The armed robber, Cobbla Lartey is accused of robbing a taxi driver of his vehicle.

Lartey who admitted his offence last Friday when he appeared before the court, complained that he had appeared before the court for over 15 times without his case coming up for trail. He appealed to the court to acquit and discharge his accomplice, Kwame Darko, 55 years old, because he did not take part in the crime but was only visiting him when the Police arrived to arrest him (Lartey).

The Presiding Magistrate, Mr William Boampong said he would have started the trial since the accused had admitted his offence but was restrained by legal procedure and had to wait for the docket on the case from the Attorney General's Office before he could commence the trial. Lartey and two others were arrested on February 28, 2003 for robbing a driver of his taxi at gunpoint at a section of the road between Obomeng and Obo. They had hired the cab from Nkawkaw to Obo The three had since been on remanded in prison custody awaiting their docket from the Attorney General's Office.