Excavator operator in court for robbery

A Tema Circuit court presided over by Mrs. Agnes Opoku-Barnieh has remanded 36-year-old excavator operator, Nas Boadu, into police custody.

Mr Boadu’s remand is for his role in a robbery in which two men on a motorbike made away with over GH¢ 60,000.00.

Prosecutor, ASP Ansu Kyeremeh told the court that three complainants; Collins Akowuah Kambi, Hayford Acheampong and Kofi Aboagye were robbed of the above money in June this year.

He said, days before the incident, the accused informed third complainant who is also an excavator operator that a friend by name Mr Addo was renting an excavator.

The excavator is said to belong to Mr Addo’s uncle in the US.

Due to the level of trust between the third complainant and the accused, the third complainant then informed first and second complainants respectively and agreed to hire the excavator.

The equipment which was to be rented at GH¢ 3,500.00 per day was to aid complainants in their mining business at Asankragua in the Western region.

The parties agreed to meet in Tema where the accused claimed the excavator was parked and to be transported on a low bed truck at GH¢10,000.00.

The complainants then set off on 19th June and arrived at Ashaiman on 20th June.

According to the prosecutor, the accused asked the complainants to wait for him around Tema Country Gold Club.

The complainants then placed a call to the accused after arriving at the said location.

About two minutes after the call, two men on a motorbike showed up, demanding for their belongings.

One of the strange guests was wielding a pistol and threatened to kill the complainants if they resisted thereby succeeding in making away with more than GH¢60,000.00, some documents and mobile phones.

Luckily for the complainants, one of them had a phone (non-smart) hidden.

Several attempts to reach the accused proved fruitless so they later filed a complaint with police at Kpone.

Investigations led to the arrest of the accused on 21st July.

He has however not been able to lead the police to the exact location where the excavator have been parked.

The accused however pleaded not guilty to three counts of abetment of crime.

The court has adjourned the case to 13th August to enable police continue with investigations.