Taxi driver remanded for allegedly robbing passenger

An Accra Circuit Court has remanded into Police custody a 30-year old driver, Collins Afoakwa aka Kwabena Mintah who attempted to rob his passenger at North Kaneshie.

Afoakwa charged with attempted robbery pleaded not guilty and will reappear before the court presided over by Mrs Helen Ofei Ayeh on July 14.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Emmanuel Ohene Agyei told the court that the complainant Janet Mawusi Sogbo is a 29-year-old trader residing at Odorkor Official Town in Accra.

Chief Inspector Agyei said Afoakwa also resides in Kasoa in the Central Region.

The prosecution said on June 16, this year at about 2330 hours the complainant stopped Afoakwa who was in charge of KIA Sephia taxi with registration number AS 9554 Z at Bubuashie Ayigbe Town.

The prosecution said the complainant asked Afoakwa to take her to her residence at Odorkor Official Town.

The prosecutor said when the complainant ascertained from Afoakwa how much he was going to charge, Afoakwa said she should not worry and that he was not going to take much.

Chief Inspector Agyei said the complainant boarded the vehicle but Afoakwa drove towards North Kaneshie instead of using an alternative route to the complainant's house.

He said when the complainant quizzed the accused over his choice of routes, he informed her that he was finding his way to the main road.

The prosecution said, however on reaching a road under construction where there was a heap of gravels, Afoakwa asked her to surrender her money but the complainant responded that she only had GHC10.00 on her.

The prosecution said not satisfied with the complainant's answer, Afoakwa further demanded her mobile phone but the complainant declined to give it to the accused.

The Prosecution said the accused started driving the car away but the complainant sensing danger jumped out of the moving vehicle.

He said the complainant, as a result, sustained knee injuries and started shouting for help so that Afoakwa could be arrested but he sped off.

Mr Agyei said the complainant on reaching a safer place narrated her ordeal to a gentleman who offered to transport her to Odorkor for her to board a car to her residence.

The prosecution said on their way the complainant spotted Afoakwa standing by his vehicle along the North Kaneshie-Abeka road but on seeing the complainant he abandoned his vehicle and took to his heels.

The prosecution said a report was made to the Police and Afoakwa's vehicle was impounded.

He said on June 22, this year, Afoakwa's car owner handed him over to the Police.

Prosecution recalled that in the year 2017, Afoakwa committed a similar offence and trial was ongoing at another Circuit court.