Eight in court for kidnapping German nurse

Accra, Jan. 15, GNA - Eight persons including a woman who are alleged to be involved in the kidnapping of a German nurse appeared before an Accra Circuit Court on Thursday.

They are Godwin Husunugbo, aka Shunton, Isaac Amuzu, James Afari, aka Bob and Roland Gyan, aka Alvin Walker.

The rest are Dennis Asamoah, aka Bigi, Daniel Abebrese, aka Pois Kwadwo Kwarteng and Hannah Aidoo.

They were said to have lured Sonaj Kaiser, a 58 year-old German nurse, to Ghana, assaulted and kidnapped her and demanded a ransom of 150,000 Euros.

Charged with conspiracy to commit crime, stealing, assault and kidnapping, their pleas were not taken by the court.

It remanded them into police custody to reappear on January 29. After listening to the facts, the court recommended that the accused persons should be charged with impersonation.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Reindolf Agyemang prayed the court not to take the plea of the accused.

Fours month ago Gyan established contact with the victim on the internet and introduced himself to her as Alvin Walker, a 58 British national resident in Ghana.

Gyan further demanded from the victim 5,000 Euros to clear his goods locked up at Tema Harbour.

The victim therefore sent 2,000 Euros through Western Union Money Transfer.

The prosecution said on January 1, this year the victim furnished Gyan with her flight details. Gyan contacted Asamoah and informed him about the victim's trip to Ghana.

Gyan and Asamoah contacted Husunugbo, a taxi driver, who agreed to pick the victim up at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

The prosecution said on January 2, Husunugbo after receiving the photograph and details of the victim, picked her up at the Airport to Taifa, a suburb in Accra, where she was to lodge. On reaching the house all the accused persons were waiting.

As soon as she was shown her room, the accused locked her up, assaulted her and stole an amount of 1,400 Euros, two mobile phones and a video camera.

They further demanded a ransom of 150,000 Euros from the victim's son before releasing her.

Victim's son after agreeing to pay 35,000 Euros, alerted the German Police who also informed the German Embassy in Ghana.

The German police, together with Ghanaian security personnel, arrested the accused persons.