Johnson Kombian, a notorious armed robber currently serving time at the Ankaful Maximum Prisons for breaking jail, yesterday amused an Accra Magistrate Court when he appeared before it.
The serial jail breaker, who is standing trial in connection with the murder of two policemen at Nakpanduri in the Northern Region, caused the audience to virtually explode with laughter over his inconsistency in his proficiency of the English language.
Kombian was put before an Accra Metropolitan Assembly Court presided over by Ali Baba Abature where he insisted that he needed an interpreter as he was not fluent in any language except his mother tongue- Bimoba language, the local dialect of Bimobas in the Mamprusi West District of the Northern Region.
Though Kombian used the English Language in communicating, he maintained that he could not comprehend or speak any other language.
After several attempts by the court to get an interpreter had proved futile, the presiding judge asked Kombian to allow the court to use the English Language, since his earlier communication had proved that he could speak the language.
But Kombian, still speaking English, insisted he did not understand any language and that he needed an interpreter.
The magistrate, Ali Baba said, “We do not have a Bimoba interpreter now but we will get you one”, but when Kombian maintained his position, the judge asked, “So what language are you using now?”
At that point, the audience in the court burst into laughter.
The court decided to adjourn the matter as it could not get any member of the audience who was fluent in the Bimoba language to assist with interpretation.
However George Asamaney, counsel for Kombian, who was not around when the case was called, in the course of proceedings announced his presence and prayed the court not to adjourn the matter since his client could speak and understand the English Language.
The judge, who initially declined to accept the counsel’s prayer, explained that Kombian had the right to an interpreter and therefore the court needed to get him one.
The court later agreed to allow the proceedings to be held in English and announced that the case be moved to a high court for trial.
Kombian was charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit crime and two counts of murder. His plea was not taken.
However, Kombian told the court, “I was not there and I am innocent.”
Giving the facts of the case, state attorney Marina Opare-Appiah said the accused person, Johnson Kombian, was a farmer and a businessman who lived in Nakpanduri in the Northern Region. On October 17, 2010, with the support of accomplices, Kombian attacked and fired gunshots at three policemen.
She told the court that the victims sustained various degrees of injury but managed to drag themselves deep into a nearby valley.
Mrs. Opare-Appiah told the court that the complainant and two other policemen, G/Constable Prince Agyare and Constable Owusu Frimpong, were detailed for barrier duties at the Nyakpanduri scarp before the incident.
She said the suspects and his accomplices fired indiscriminately at the victims and allegedly killed Constable Agyare and Constable Owusu Frimpong in 2010, wounding another policeman in Nakpanduri before escaping to Togo
“On 21st October 2010, Constable Owusu Frimpong died at the Naleirigu Baptist Medical Centre whilst Constable Prince Agyare was immediately transferred to the Tamale Teaching Hospital where he was pronounced dead and L/Cpl Osei Bonsu was taken to the police Hospital, Accra for further medical attention”.
She stated that the police, a month after the incident, received information from Togolese authorities that the accused person had been arrested and detained at Dapangu in Togo.
Kombian, in his caution statement, said he did not know anything about the incident that led to the death of the two policemen.
He claimed he was in Nakpanduri on 16th October 2010 when policemen came to the town and arrested him.
It would be recalled that Kombian was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court after he broke jail at Gambaga and later at Tamale Prisons where he was being held in connection with various offences
After his second jail break, he went into hiding in Togo and was re-arrested by Interpol in Togo and handed over to the Ghanaian authorities.
The serial jail breaker was serving a five-year jail term for a previous escape and was awaiting trial for attempted murder and other robberies.
