Court refuse two Police officers bail

An Accra Circuit Court on Monday declined to admit to bail two Policemen and two others who are being held for robbery.

The accused persons, Detective Corporal Christian Aboagye, Detective Corporal Ramous Appiah Kyeremeh, Oduro Danso, Driver and Ato Dadzie, businessman, have pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiracy and robbery.

They are alleged to have apprehended a pharmacist carrying substances suspected to be cocaine. The said substance known as Ephedrine hydrochloride worth $60,000, was to be used for the production of nasal drop which the complainant procured.

Prosecuting, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Moses Atibilla, at today’s sitting told the court presided over by Mr Francis Obiri that they intend to start with the trial hence would ask for a short adjournment.

Mr Augustine Gyamfi, one of the defence counsels, repeated his application for bail, saying his clients case is one of the many cases that happened in the Ghana Police Service, hence the accused persons should not be held for robbery. Mr Francis Obiri declined the bail application and remanded them into Police custody to reappear on August 7.

Facts provided by ACP Atibilla are that, the complainant is a pharmacist and a production officer of Duba Pharm Company Limited. ACP Atiblla said Christian is stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters, while Appiah is stationed at Lapaz Police post.

He said on July 7, 2014, this year, the complainant procured an Ephedrine hydrochloride substance worth $60,000, which the complainant was going to use for the production of nasal drop. He said the complainant kept the substance at the back seat of his car and drove to North Kaneshie to visit a friend.

ACP Atibilla said whilst the complainant was waiting at Domond drinking bar for the arrival of his friend, Oduro and Ato alerted the two police officers, who were armed with pistols that the complainant was carrying the said substances that they claimed to be cocaine.

“The two policemen confronted the complainant about the contents of the bag in the car,” he added. The prosecution said after the complainant had disclosed the content, Christian handcuffed the complainant, claiming the substance was suspected to be cocaine and ordered him to surrender the substance.

He said the policemen subsequently arrested the complainant put him in their car and drove the complainant to the Achimota School Police station, where they left him to his fate and sped off with the substance.

He said Oduro then went to meet the two policemen at Tesano, near Capital Court Hotel, and took possession of the substance they claimed to be cocaine to be kept in his room. Later Appiah and Oduro handed over the substance to Ato at Dome for sale.

ACP Atibilla said complainant made a report to the police for investigations and on July 18, the complainant in the course of his rounds spotted Appiah at his duty post at Lapaz.

He said the complainant immediately informed the Tesano police, where Appiah was arrested and during interrogation he assisted the police to arrest Christian.

The complainant identified him and investigations led to the arrest of the other accused persons and the substance was retrieved.