Sekondi Central Prison fugitives before court

Sekondi, May 28, GNA - Seven of the ten convicted armed robbers, who recently broke jail at the Sekondi Central Prisons, have appeared before a High Court in Sekondi on Thursday.

Mohammed Issa, Raphael Lawoe, Jallo Ibrahim, Mohammed Gariba, Ebenezer Okorley Teteh, Kwaku Abeiku and Gariba Amadu have been charged for conspiracy to escape from lawful custody and escaping from lawful custody. Raphael Ato Buoro, Wadrago Adama, Yaw Mensah Sampson alias Olabode and Adama Iddrisu, who were jointly charged with the accused, are still on the run.

Issa, Lawoe, Ibrahim, Tetteh, Buoro, Wadrago, Sampson and Iddrisu are facing additional charge of conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery. The accused persons, who pleaded guilty to robbery and escaping from lawful custody, were remanded to re-appear at court on June 2. Miss Patienc Klinogo, Chief State Attorney in-charge of the Western Region, told the court that the accused persons were convicted for robbery and serving various terms of imprisonment at the Sekondi Central Prisons. She said that recently, they attacked prison officers on duty and held them hostage between the main yard and the reception at the Central Prisons. Miss Klinogo said that they broke into the armoury and made away eight G3 guns, fired into the air, forced the main gate open and escaped with the weapons.

She said that when the fugitives got to the road at the footage of the Central Prisons, they at gun point stopped a trotro mini bus with registration number WR 682A coming from Takoradi direction and shot the driver, Francis Nti in both thighs and took away the vehicle. Miss Klinogo said Ibrahim and Abeiku were recaptured within the confines of the Central Prisons and Amadu was recaptured at the inner gate. She said the remaining eight of the escapees drove off in the trotro vehicle with the eight weapons towards Ketan.

Miss Klinogo said that they abandoned the bus and hijacked a Ford saloon car with registration number WR 690X being driven by Tawiah and in a haste to escape, the vehicle collided with an on coming taxi cab. She said that they deserted the car and fled into the bush with three weapons, leaving the rest in the mini bus. The Chief State Attorney said that the two vehicles have been retrieved and the driver of the mini bus was receiving treatment at the hospital. Miss Klinogo said a combined team of Military, Police and the Central Prisons personnel mounted a search for the escapees and Amadu and Abieku were arrested in an Accra-bound vehicle at Beposo toll bridge. She said Ibrahim was arrested in the bush at Beposo and Issa was recaptured near the Pra River at Beposo.