Court remands trader for escaping from custody

An Accra Circuit Court on Monday remanded Mohammed Ibrahim, a trader, in police custody for allegedly escaping from lawful authority and possessing firearm without authority.

Ibrahim pleaded not guilty and would re-appear on July 25. Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Ernest Acheampong told the court presided over by Ali Baba that the complainant in the case is a taxi driver. He said on June 19, the accused person hired the complainant’s taxi from Lapaz, a suburb of Accra, to Kasoa in the Central region.

The prosecution said on arrival at Kasoa, the accused person collected the driver’s mobile number to enable him to call anytime he needed his services. He said on June 20, the accused person called the complainant to meet him at Mallam junction and he obliged, after which the accused asked that he should be taken to Ashaiman.

DSP Acheampong said on reaching, Ashaiman, accused told the complainant to bring him back to Accra, and they kept going around town till about 23:30 hours, when the complainant became suspicious of the behaviour of the accused and brought him to the Airport police station.

He said at the police station, the accused managed to escape from the charge office but luck eluded him and he was eventually arrested. “A search conducted on him revealed a locally manufactured pistol and two rounds of point 410 cartridge concealed in his bag,” he added. In his caution statement, the accused admitted the offence and claimed ownership of the exhibits.