Four remanded for stealing

Four persons were on Thursday remanded by an Accra Circuit Court on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime, stealing, causing unlawful damage, unlawful entry, possessing and transferring firearms without authority, abetment of crime, and dishonestly receiving.

Daniel Owu, a 37-year old trader and Ahmed Ali, a 28-year old Okada rider were said to have conspired, caused unlawful damage to side glass of a Mercedes Benz car valued at GH¢1,500.00 and unlawfully entered the car and stolen two bags valued at GH¢400.00 belonging to one Jacob Teye Kwadjo.

The two also stole two Toshiba laptops, one HP laptop, one Lenovo mini laptop, which owner is yet to be identified.

Daniel was also charged for possessing one Springfield Armory pistol with one round of ammunition, while Ahmed was also charged for transferring one shot gun, with batch number deleted to Yaw Agyapong without authority.

Yaw Agyapong, a 49-year old unemployed, was also charged for abetment of crime and dishonestly receiving unspecified laptops, one 12 Bore Automatic shot guns with batch numbers deleted, and for transferring two pistols and one shot gun to one Daniel Obeng Yebo.

Daniel Obeng Yebo, 66 years, Arms and Ammunition dealer was also charged for dishonestly receiving one 12 bore Automatic shotgun with batch number deleted and possession of firearms without lawful authority.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges, and were remanded by the court, to reappear on April 3, for ruling on the bail applications by their counsels.

The facts of the case as presented by Superintendent Kweku Bempah were that the complainant Jacob Teye Kwadjo is trader, residing at Adenta, while Daniel is a trader, residing at Apetem-Aburi in the Eastern Region.

He said Ahmed is a motor rider, Yaw is unemployed residing at Kwashieman and Daniel is a licensed arms dealer, resides at Achimota. Mile‘7’. Issah Osmanu, Goodman and Kwabena Nketia are all at large.

He said on March 2, at about 2230 hours, Police patrol team on duty at East Legon and on reaching Oceano Restaurant spotted Daniel and Ahmed breaking into a blue Mercedes Benz car ML 350 with registration No. VR 133-13 parked by the roadside.

The patrol team became suspicious and made a U-turn to their direction. The two on seeing the Police patrol team jumped onto a motorbike parked few meters from the scene and begun to move away.

The prosecution said the Police pursued them and some few distance away, the pillion rider started firing at the Police. The Police returned fire and as a result, one of the pellets hit Daniel at his right buttock and they fell down with the motorbike.

Superintendent Bempah said Ahmed managed to escape, while Daniel was arrested and a Springfield Armory pistol No. N404807, with one round of ammunition, two Toshiba laptops, one HP laptop, one mini Lenovo laptop and two bags were found with him.

He said the complainant was informed about the incident by a restaurant attendant and he went to the scene to identify the Mercedes Benz car and two bags as his. Daniel was rushed to the Police hospital where he was admitted.

The complainant was led to the Police Headquarters by the patrol team and he lodged a complaint. The case was later transferred to the Regional ClD, Accra for further investigation.

He told the court that in Daniel’s investigation caution statement, he admitted the offences and mentioned Ahmed as his accomplice. He further mentioned Yaw and Kwabena as those whom they sell all the stolen items to.

On March 25, at about 0430 hours, based on Police intelligence, Ahmed was arrested at his hideout at Liberia Camp, Budumbura in the Central Region. When he was interrogated, he admitted the offence and led Police to Yaw’s house and identified him as the one to whom they have been selling all the stolen items.

He also said that apart from the laptops, he and his groups sold two pistols and one pump action gun to him. Yaw then admitted having bought uncountable laptops and three guns from Ahmed and other groups.

Yaw further stated that, he also resold the two pistols and one pump action gun to Daniel Obeng and led the Police to Daniel Obeng’s house and identified him to Police.

Daniel Obeng was asked by Police to open his armoury and a search conducted revealed the pump action gun, 12 bore automatic shotguns with batch numbers deleted, however Daniel Obeng denied having bought any pistol from Yaw.

Superintendent Bempah told the court that investigation disclosed that, Yaw was in close contact with Daniel and Ahmed and their other groups and had communicated with them to bring the weapon to him as there was already market for guns.

On the basis of that, Daniel, Ahmed and Goodman had earlier supplied him two pistols and one pump action gun.