Cop denies involvement in robbery attack

Accra, July 13 GNA - Corporal Lawrence Dennis Quansah, one of the six Policemen charged with five others for robbing a businessman of 53,000 dollars and other personal effects on Monday, denied claims by the Prosecution that he together with the others attacked and rob the complainant (Kwaku Duah) of his money.

He also denied taking pictures of the complainant when he was being interrogated at the Police Depot.

Corporal Quansah was continuing with his evidence during cross-examination by Ms Cynthia Lamptey, Chief State Attorney at the on-going trial at an Accra Circuit Court.

Corporal Quansah together with Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Kwapong, Chief Inspector Thomas Adu, Sergeant John Adjapong, Lance Corporal (L/C) Karim Muntari and Constable Benjamin Blejumah are being held on charges of conspiracy.

The rest are Aams Amanor, Kwasi Tawiah, Peter Kwame Gyasi aka Kwame Tawiah and Bismark Ampofo.

Apart from DSP Kwapong, the rest are facing additional charge of robbery.

They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been remanded into Police custody. Corporal Quansah also told the court that while at the Relax Cot Hotel he saw the complainant struggling with a military officer and a Policeman. He denied claims that Chief Inspector Thomas Adu slapped Mr Kwaku Duah and removed monies from his pocket. Later, Lance Corporal (L/C) Karim Muntari also opened his defense when he told the court that he was informed by DSP Kwapong that he (Lance Corporal Muntari) together with Corporal Ken Acheapong Doudu and Constable Benjamin Blejumah should go to Tema and arrest some people who were dealing in illegal business.

He said when they got the Tema Motorway Roundabout the driver of their car got a call from DSP Kwapong that the person who was dealing in the illegal business was rather at the Relax Cot hotel so they returned to Accra.

He said when they got to the hotel, they were told the person "we were looking for was in room 108".

He said they drove to the hotel reception and saw two men sitting there and asked them to direct them to room 108 which they did. He said they knocked at the door but no one responded so they went back to the receptionist to try and call the complainant for them. Lance Corporal Muntari said he was in the reception when he heard some people talking outside, so he came outside and saw a gentleman running behind the building.

He said he saw a Benz car with its occupants standing beside it, while Chief Inspector Adu and another Policeman held Mr Kwaku Duah, handcuff him and put him the car.

He said he also saw the military officer emerge from the reception holding two brown parcels and Chief Inspector Adu directed that it should be put in the red Pickup car, while he (Muntari), Blejumah and Acheampong Doudu sat in that car.

He said from the hotel they drove straight to the Police Depot where they met DSP Kwapong sitting in front of the Officers Mess and charting with chief Inspector Adu, the complainant and Corporal Quansah while the rest of them hanged around the trees.

He said later DSP Kwapong signalled them (Muntari), Blejumah and Acheampong Doudu to go back to the office.

The facts are that Aams Amanor has been known to complainant, Mr Duah when they were both in Switzerland. Sometime, last year, Mr Duah discussed with Amanor of coming to Ghana to buy gold and he (Amanor) assured the complainant of assisting him to purchase the gold.

Consequently, Mr Duah arrived in Ghana on February 1, this year, and checked in at Relax Court Hotel at Dworwulu in Accra and got in touch with Amanor who in turn informed him about the people that they were going to buy gold from.

On February 2, this year, at about 10:00pm Amanor and Jeffery, now at large, who was then armed with a pistol, Gyasi, and a Nigerian now at large, went to the Hotel room of Mr Duah under the pretext of transacting gold business. The said business was to take place between the complainant and Jeffery.

Before the meeting, Jeffery and the Nigerian had arranged with Amanor, who had also instructed Chief Inspector Adu, Sgt Adjapong, Corporal Quansah and a soldier, who is at large, to go to the hotel. When they got there they met Lance Corporal Muntari, Constables Acheampong and Blejuamah.

They broke into Mr Duah's room. Jeffery then pulled a pistol and beat the complainant until he bled from his nose. They further searched Mr Duah, and took two envelopes containing 53,000 dollars, 800 Euros, GH¢2,000 from his pocket. Not satisfied, they ransacked Mr Duah's room and took away a black bag containing two walkman CD players, a digital camera valued at 4,000 dollars; two bunches of keys and a Standard Chartered Bank cheque book. The accused persons arrested the complainant and later abandoned him at Tema. Mr Duah reported the matter to the Police and accused persons were arrested.