Accra, July 17 GNA- Lance Corporal (L/C) Karim Muntari one of the six Policemen charged with five others, for robbing a Ghanaian businessman of 53,000 dollars on Friday denied claims by the Prosecution that the accused persons intentionally planted four parcels suspected to contain illegal substance at the Relax Cot hotel to incriminate the complainant, Kwaku Duah.
He also refuted claims that after arresting the complainant they assaulted him till he started bleeding. L/C, Muntari was giving evidence during cross-examination by Ms Cynthia Lamptey, Chief State Attorney at the on-going trial at an Accra Circuit Court.
L/C Muntari together with Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Kwapong, Chief Inspector Thomas Adu, Sergeant John Adjapong, Corporal Lawrence Dennis Quansah 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. L/C Muntari also denied claims by Mr Ellis Owusu Fordjour, Counsel for DSP Kwapong that he (Muntari) was given accommodation at the Kotobabi Police barracks and not true that he was living in his office. He said he was only told by his boss Superintendent Yakubu Nantomah that he would be given an accommodation, but up till now that had not been done.
When Mr Fordjour asked why there was no entry in the office diary about his claim that DSP Kwapong instructed he and his colleagues to go to Tema to cause the arrest of a businessman who was dealing in illegal substance?
He said it was not all assignments that one made entries and sometimes the senior officer who gave out the task could make the entries on behalf of the personnel. Meanwhile, Constable Benjamin Blejumah one of the accused persons in the case has also opened his defence.
He debunked claims from the Prosecution that he conspired with the others to go and rob the complainant of his money. He said he followed the lawful instructions from his superior to go to Relax Cot Hotel to cause an arrest and nothing else. He said on February 2, he was at the Airport Police barracks around 10.30 hours when he had a call from L/C Muntari that DSP Kwapong had instructed him to call he (Blejumah) and Constable Ken Acheampong Duodu to go to Tema and cause an arrest.
He said L/C Muntari told him to wait at the Airport roundabout, where he joined his colleagues and drove to Tema. Constable Blejumah said when they got to Tema Hospital roundabout the driver of the car had a call from DSP Kwapong, who said they should return to Accra.
He said when they got to Accra the driver took them to the Relax Cot Hotel at Dzorwullu. Constable Blejumah said before they got to the entrance of the hotel, the driver made a call and a man came out to inform them that the suspect was in room 108.
He said they drove the car into the hotel premises where the receptionist directed them to the room. Constable Blejumah said Constable Duodu who located the room returned to say that there was no response, when he knocked at the door and so a hotel attendant asked them to go to the main reception to call the room number 108.
He said few minutes later a Benz car drove into the hotel, which was carrying a soldier, Chief Inspector Adu, Sergeant John Agyapong and Corporal Dennis Quansah.
When they got down chief Inspector Adu headed towards his direction, before going to the reception. Constable Blejumah said few minutes later he saw the complainant emerging behind the building with the soldier and Constable Duodu who put him in the car. They were also joined in the car by Chief Inspector Adu.
Lance Corporal Muntari instructed him (Blejumah) to drive the Toyota car and follow the Benz to the Police Depot where he saw DSP Kwapong sitting in front of the Officers Mess. He said he left the Police Depot to his house, because he had a night duty to perform that day. The facts are that Aams Amanor knows the complainant in Switzerland, where they both reside. Sometime, last year, Mr Duah discussed with Amanor of coming to Ghana to buy gold and he (Amanor) assured the complainant of assisting him to purchase the gold. Consequently, Mr Duah arrived in Ghana on February 1, this year, and checked in the hotel and got in touch with Amanor who in turn informed him about the people that they were going to buy gold from. At about 20 hours on February 2, 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, Constables Acheampong and Blejuamah. They broke into Mr Duah's room. Jeffery then 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, 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 accused persons were arrested.
