Three in court for attempted robbery

Three persons were on Monday put before an Accra Circuit Court for conspiracy and attempted robbery.

Ama Bonsu, a 25 year-old trader, Abrefa Mensah, 35, and Kwasi Agyei, a 37 year-old Carpenter were said to have conspired and attempted to rob the complainant on May 1 this year at Kwabenya in Accra.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges and were remanded by the court to reappear on May 21.

Superintendent Patience Mario, prosecuting, told the court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh that the complainant, Rosemary Owusua is a hairdresser who lives at ACP High Tension'2 Estates, Pokuase, while Ama, is a trader who lives at Doboro, Abrefa is unemployed and lives in Kumasi, and Kwasi lives in Accra and Kumasi, whilst Yaw Sarpong now deceased was a driver and lived at Asofa, Accra.

She said on May 1, at about 0920 hours, the complainant boarded a Nissan Almera taxi with registration number GW 7781-13 driven by Sarpong the deceased with the three accused on board at Hotel Junction Bus stop near ACP Junction near the Kwabenya Station.

She said on reaching a section of the road, Kwasi handed a Fifty Cedi denomination to the driver as if he was paying his fare.

The driver requested the complainant to change it for him but she declined then Abrefa who was on the front passenger seat adjusted his seat in such a way that made the complainant uncomfortable in her seat so she started complaining.

The prosecution said the driver advised her to press something under the seat to re-adjust the seat but in her attempt to do so Kwasi who was sitting next to her removed a duster to blindfold her whilst he forcibly dipped his hand into her handbag but the complainant blocked him.

Superintendent Mario said the complainant sensing danger immediately asked the driver to stop for her to alight but the driver refused.

The prosecution said the complainant started shouting but the driver raised the side-glass to prevent her from being heard.

The complainant threatened to break the side-glass if the driver would not stop but he drove the car to a distance before Kwasi pushed her out of the moving vehicle.

She told the court that the complainant then boarded another taxi to chase them and met them around the Ga Rural Bank at Kwabenya, the complainant alerted a policeman on duty of the incident who quickly chased and intercepted them in a traffic.

She said the complainant approached the intercepted car and identified the accused to the Policeman. The policeman ordered the driver and his accomplices to remain seated in the car whilst he called a Police Patrol Team.

However Sarpong in bid to escape hit the policeman with the car but the policeman fired into the car resulting in his death.

The prosecution said in the process, the car run into three other cars before it finally stopped. The accused then surrendered and they were arrested and sent to the station for investigation while the deceased was sent to the Police hospital mortuary pending autopsy.

In their respective cautioned statements, they admitted the offences and mentioned Kwasi as their leader who also owns the taxi.