Herdsmen remanded in custody for robbery

Tema, Jan 26 GNA - Two out of four herdsmen who robbed passengers of their monies and personal belongings on the Dawa-Aflao road were on Wednesday remanded by the Tema circuit Court presided over by Mr. Nicholas Abodakpi.

They are Abubakari Ibrahim and Ali Yaro and both pleaded guilty robbery.

The two other accomplices, Kadri and Reuben are on the run. A fifth accused person Mohammed Yaro, pleaded not guilty to abetment of crime, harbouring criminals and possessing narcotic drugs was also remanded in custody until February 17.

The facts of the case were that at about 0230 on January 20, Ibrahim, Yaro, Kadri and Reuben barricaded a portion of the Dawa-Tsopoli road on the Aflao main road and robbed passengers who come their way. They stopped a Toyota Hiace with the registration number GR 317R driven by Mr Semanu Attipoe with nine passengers and robbed five of the occupants of their monies.

The victims were Mr Semanu Attipoe, the driver 800,000 cedis, Madam Joyce Donyo, 6.5 million cedis, 360 CFA and a mobile phone, valued at 3.2 million cedis and madam Rose Baafi, three million cedis, 120 CFA and a mobile phone.

The rest were madam Joana Osei-Mensah three million cedis 50,000 CFA and a mobile phone and Mr Godwin Tetteh a student of the University of Ghana Legon, 800,000 cedis cedis.

The accused persons escaped before the police arrived at the scene but information led to the arrest of Ibrahim and Mohammed at their hide out at Dawa and a search on them revealed some of the money. He said ibrahim told the police that Reuben and Kadri robbed the passengers and the money found on him was his booty, but claimed that Reuben left for Nigeria while Kadri headed for Asutuare. He said Ibrahim told the police that Reuben and Kadri were harboured by Ali Yaro and his son Mohammed Yaro for sometime and alleged that it was Mohammed Yaro who provided three cutlasses that was used for the operation.