Two Nigerians, Ghanaian remanded over robbery

An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday remanded two Nigerians and a Ghanaian for allegedly robbing a businessman and his family.

Daniel Akpan alias Danny and Edet Okon Bassey, Nigerians and Ishameal Akyene alias Nana or Damascus, all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit crime and robbery.

Akpan was additionally charged with rape which he denied.

An accomplice, Asuquo Mbuotiden Edem alias Faith is at large.

They will make their next appearance on June 24.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mawunyo Nemegbe told the court presided over by Mrs Ruby Naa Aryeetey that the complainant is a businessman residing at Pobiman near Amasaman in Accra.

Akpan and Akyene are drivers and residents of Kasoa, whiles Bassey is a self-acclaimed businessman.

DSP Nemegbe said on February 25, this year, at about 0200 hours, while the complainant and his family were asleep, when he heard noise in the corridor leading to his bedroom, he later saw a flashlight under the door.

He said the four men forced the complainant’s bedroom door opened when Akpan and Edem then pointed a gun at him and his wife with Bassey holding a cutlass and ordered them to lie on the floor.

The prosecution said Akpan and Akyene went and brought the complainant’s three children from their bedroom to join their parents on the floor.

He said the accused persons covered them with bed sheets and clothes and ransacked their rooms.

He said Akyene took five Sumsang phones and an I-phone valued GH¢4,500.00 and forcibly removed the complainant’s wife’s wedding rings valued GH¢7,000.00.

DSP Nemegbe said Apan and Edem also took a set of ladies’ jewelry valued GH¢15,200.00, waist belts, shoes, clothes and bags valued GH¢7,860.00 and an unspecified amount of money.

He said in the course of the robbery Akpan took the complainant’s 18-year-old daughter, also a witness in the case to a different room and raped her.

The prosecution said the accused persons after the act fired gunshots before leaving the scene in order to ward-off intruders.

DSP Nemegbe said the complainant reported the case to the police which led to the arrest of Akpan, Akyene and Bassey.

During investigations, they led police to a nearby bush at TF hostel located at North Legon in Accra, where three pistols, a long cutter, a designed metal bar and two cutlasses used in the robbery where retrieved.

He said the three accused persons admitted the offense and demonstrated to the police how they entered the complainant’s house.

Meanwhile police are looking for Edem to face the law.