Soldiers arrested over robbery

Two soldiers Cpl. Opoku Amankwa and L/cpl. Adu Owusu Prince with numbers 191855 and 193197 respectively are currently facing trial at a circuit court in Accra with one civilian military employee for their alleged involvement in robbing and kidnapping of a Nigerian trader resident in Ghana.

The court presided over by Mr. Francis Obiri, remanded the three suspects into prisons custody despite efforts by their lawyers praying the court to grant the suspects bail.

The prosecution, presenting the facts of the case told the court that, the complainants in the case are traders and are Nigerian nationals residing at Teshie in Accra.

The first and second suspects, the prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Policy (DSP) Morkeh, noted were serving soldiers stationed at the Recce Regiment at Burma Camp whilst the third suspect, George Dumanya, was a civilian employee attached to the unit.

He said on October 15, 2012, the victim, Promise Umukoro accompanied one Augustine Efe to cash money from the Spintex road branch of Global Acess Money Transfer.

After the transaction, they both boarded a taxi cab and headed towards the Spintex round about.

He said on reaching a spot, near Kotobabi Junction, the suspects on board an unregistered NISSAN AMERA and all dressed in military uniforms suddenly intercepted their vehicle and accused them of being cyber fraudsters.

DSP Morkeh revealed that the suspects at that point attacked them and attempted to lure them into their car.

He added that Augustine Efe managed to escape with his money but Umukoro who attempted to resist arrest was subjected to severe beatings.

According to DSP Morkeh, the suspects eventually lured the victim into their car and sent to an isolated bush road linking Teshie Tebibiano and Zeneth University.

The Deputy Superintendent of Police explained that when the suspects did not find any money on the victim, they made him call one Prince Nicholas Atanaga to bring them cash, the sum of GHC 700.00 before they would release him.

He mentioned that the said Nicholas as soon as he was called rushed to the Nungua police station and reported the case whilst one Lawrence Obine who was also informed by Nicholas proceeded to meet the suspects by the direction given to him with the money.

He said when Lawrence met the suspects, they introduced themselves to them as officials from the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) and seized the victim's mobile phone and his Nigerian passport since his friend did not come with the money they demanded.

He said the suspects told the victim to come for the items seized whenever his friends were ready with the money.

DSP Morkeh observed that police investigations led to the arrest of the first and third suspects.

He said a search conducted on them revealed the mobile phone and Nigerian passport of the victim.

He said the second suspect was also arrested with the assistance of the Military Police.

They were charged with the offence after investigations. The case was adjourned to November 13, 2012. They pleaded not guilty to three charges of conspiracy, robbery and kidnapping.