Three in court for robbery

Three persons, on Friday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court, Presided over by Mr Francis Obiri for conspiracy to commit crime, robbery, and dishonesty receiving.

The three, Sakibu Abdullai, Driver, Christopher Kwesi Sellasi, Unemployed and Rafatu Najib, all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Sakibu and Christopher were said to have conspired with three others, Pusher, Emmanuel Ocloo and Alhaji Shaibu all at large and robbed one James Attah Kwesi of his Benz cargo truck containing 1,200 bags of Jasmine rice worth GH¢154,000.00.

They were both remanded by the court to reappear on October 17.

Rafatu was also charged for dishonestly receiving 1,200 bags (25kgs size) Cindy Jasmine rice worth GH¢84,000.00; but was granted bail in the sum of GH¢50,000.00 with three sureties, one to be a public servant, and is also to reappear on October 17.

Police Chief Inspector E. Afful told the court that the complainants are James Attah Kwesi, a driver who resides at Asokore Mampong; and Kojo Asare, a businessman residing at Assin Fosu.

He said on March 19, at about 2200 hours, James, was in charge of his cargo Benz truck loaded with the items belonging to Kojo who was heading to Assin Fosu.

He said on reaching the N1 Highway just after the Kwashieman traffic light, Sakibu, Christopher, Pusher and Emmanuel crossed the complainant’s vehicle with a Nissan Almera private car, pointed a pistol at them and ordered them to stop.

The prosecution said the accused persons then introduced themselves to the complainant as National Security Operatives and accused the complainant of failing to go through the Axle-load machine at Tema Motorway.

He told the court that, at gun point the accused person’s arrested the complainant and his mate, and pushed them into their private car.

Police Chief Inspector Afful said the accused persons intentionally left Sakibu and Emmanuel behind, under the pretext of safe guiding the complainant’s truck, while the other two drove the complainant and his mate towards the motorway direction.

He said on reaching a section of the road, they forcible collected GH¢100.00 from them and abandoned them on the way. Later the complainant went back to where they were attacked only to realize that the accused persons had taken the vehicle with the rice away.

According to the prosecution, a complaint was lodged at the Odorkor Police Station. Whilst the case was under investigation, Police had a tip off that the accused persons went to sell the rice to one Alhaji Shaibu at Kasoa, changed the colour and number plate of the complainants truck, which they were using to cart wood from Volte Region to Accra on commercial basis.

He told the court that, on May 17, the Police arrested Sakibu with the complainant’s truck at Atimpoku, whilst he was in the process of driving the said vehicle to Ho, and he mentioned Christopher, Pusher and Emmanuel as his accomplices.

He said Christopher was subsequently arrested at Nungua, and he admitted the offence in his cautioned statement stating that he did the act with Sakibu, Pusher and Emmanuel.

The prosecution stated that, investigation revealed that the accused persons sold the rice to Rafatu through Alhaji Shaibu who is also at large.

Police Chief Inspector Afful said on October 7, Rafatu was traced to her store at Kasoa and arrested. In her cautioned statement she admitted having received 150 bags of perfumed rice 50kg from Alhaji Shaibu which had been re-bagged.

She said in the cause of the transaction Alhaji Shaibu introduced Sakibu to her as the owner of the goods since then she has also been communicating with Sakibu even whilst in the prison yard.

Rafatu also stated that at one point, Alhaji Shaibu and Sakibu came to her and collected GH¢ 2,500.00 as part payment of the goods sold to her.