Bekwai Court grants GH¢30,000.00 bail to alleged robber

The Ashanti Bekwai Circuit Court has granted a GH¢30,000.00 bail with two sureties, one to be justified, to an unemployed for allegedly robbing a fish seller.

Joseph Yeboah, alias Taabea, was ordered by the Court presided by Mr Marc Diboro Tirimah to report to the police every Monday until the final determination of the case.

The accused has denied the offence but would make his next appearance in court on December 30.

Meanwhile, a duplicate docket on the case has been sent to the Attorney General (AG) for advice.

Nana Achia Ababio, counsel for the accused in pleading for bail, told the court that it was likely the trial would suffer delay as the duplicate docket was sent to the AG for advice.

His client, she said, had a fixed place of abode, prepared to stand trial and had even paid the money involved in the crime.

His accomplice, Kingsley Yeboah, is on the run.

Police Chief Inspector Christian Osborn Amartey said the complainant was a food seller resident at Mano-Aboaboso and Joseph Yeboah alias Taabea was unemployed and lived at Manso-Aboaboso.

On July 25, at about 2100 hours, the complainant was on his errands of supplying fish to his customers in a taxi cab with registration number, AS 9954-14 when he was attacked by Joseph and Prince on reaching mid-section of the road between Manso-Aboaboso to Apenimadi.

Chief Inspector Amartey said they robbed him of GHC7,800.00 at gunpoint with a locally made pistol.

The prosecution said after the robbery incidence, the alleged robbers ordered the complainant and his sales assistants to lie on the ground and subjected them to severe beatings.

He said the alleged robbers fled into the bush with the booty when they heard a sound of a vehicle in their direction.

The prosecution said a formal complaint was lodged with the Manso-Datano Police.

However, Joseph surrendered to the Unit Committee members and the Assembly Member in the Manso-Aboaboso Electoral Area and confessed to the crime, leading to his arrest. He admitted the offence in his caution statement before an independent witness and he told police that he carried out the act with Prince, who is currently at large.

The Court, in granting the bail, considered the fact that the trial may suffer delay as the prosecution had stated that it had forwarded a duplicate of the docket to the AG.