Cop maintains innocence in robbery case

Accra, July 2, GNA - Sergeant John Adjapong, one of the six policemen charged with five others for robbing a Ghanaian businessman of 53,000 dollars and other belongings at a Dzorwulu Hotel, denied on Thursday that he conspired with his colleagues to rob Mr Kweku Duah, the complainant.

He also rejected assertions from the prosecution that he together with the others collected foreign money from Mr Duah in a car before sending him to the Police Depot.

Sgt. Adjepong said this during cross-examination by Ms Cynthia Lamptey, Chief State Attorney, at the on-going trial at an Accra Circuit Court.

Sgt. Adjapong together with Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)Patrick Kwapong, Chief Inspector Thomas Adu, Corporal Lawrence Dennis Quansah, Lance Corporal (L/C) Karim Muntari and Constable Benjamin Blejumah are being held on charges of conspiracy. The rest are Aams Amanor, Kwasi Tawiah, Peter Kwame Gyasi, aka Kwame Tawiah, and Bismark Ampofo.

Apart from DSP Kwapong, the rest are facing additional charge of robbery. They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges. Sgt. Agyepong who gave his version of what happened on February 2, told the court that on January 30 he went for his in-law's car to enable him to attend the funeral of a colleague mother at Obo, Kwahu, in the Eastern Region. He said he drove in the same car to work on February 2 and around 1030 hours to 1100 hours he decided to go for lunch. Sgt. Agyepong said while he was about to leave Chief Inspector Adu joined him. He also called his friend Corporal Lawrence Dennis Quansah to join them for lunch.

He said on the way Chief Inspector Adu had a call from DSP Kwapong that he should go and arrest someone at Relax Court Hotel who was dealing in illegal gold business.

He said when they entered the hotel both Chief Inspector Adu and Corporal Quansah got down from the car and he later saw them with the complainant and a military officer who came to join the vehicle. Sgt. Agyepong said Chief Inspector Adu asked him to drive them to the Police Depot to meet DSP Kwapong at the Officers' Mess. He said while he was relaxing in the car DSP Kwapong came to tell him that they should go to Tema with Mr Duah to help him retrieve his money from some people.

He said when they got to the Tema roundabout both Mr Duah and his colleagues got down, crossed the road and entered a drinking spot. Sgt. Agyepong said he was in the car when they came with Aams Amanor and Bismark Ampofo but he did not know what they were discussing because he did not go with them.

He said from there he drove to Accra where they dropped DSP Kwapong, Chief Inspector Adu and Corporal Quansah at their homes. The prosecution's case is that Aams Amanor knew Mr Duah when they were both in Switzerland.

Sometime last year, Mr Duah told Amanor he wanted to come to Ghana to buy gold and he (Amanor) assured the complainant of his assistance. Consequently, Mr Duah arrived in Ghana on February 1, and checked in at Relax Court Hotel at Dworwulu in Accra and got in touch with Amanor who in turn informed him about the people that they were going to buy the gold from.

On February 2, at about 2000 hours Amanor and Jeffery, now at large, who was armed with a pistol, Gyasi, and a Nigerian now at large, went to the Hotel room of Mr Duah under the pretext of transacting gold business. The said business was to take place between the complainant and Jeffery.

Before the meeting, Jeffery and the Nigerian had arranged with Amanor, who had also instructed Chief Inspector Adu, Sgt Adjapong, Corporal Quansah and a soldier, who is at large, to go to the hotel. When they got there they met Lance Corporal Muntari, Constable Acheampong and Constable Blejuamah.

They broke into Mr Duah's room and Jeffery pulled a pistol and beat the complainant until he bled from his nose.

They further searched Mr Duah and took two envelopes containing 53,000 dollars, 800 Euros and GH¢2,000 from his pocket. Not satisfied, they ransacked Mr Duah's room and took away a black bag containing two "walkman" CD players, a digital camera valued at 4,000 dollars; two bunches of keys and a Standard Chartered Bank cheque book.

The accused persons arrested the complainant and later abandoned him at Tema. Mr Duah reported the matter to the Police and the accused persons were arrested.