Unemployed in court for robbery

Samuel Kormigah, unemployed, on Tuesday appeared before an Accra Circuit Court for conspiracy to commit crime and robbery.

Kormigah was said to have conspired with three others now at large, and robbed one Edward Asare, of his mobile phone worth GH¢40.00 and an amount of GH¢153.00 at the National Theatre in Accra.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges, but was, however, remanded by the court presided over by Mr Francis Obiri to re-appear on October 17.

Prosecuting, Miss Annette Barnes, Assistant State Attorney, told the court that on July 16, 2013 at about 0400 hours, the complainant, Edward, a taxi driver and a pastor who resides at Ofankor with his family, was in charge of his Toyota Echo taxi in Nima, when four young men approached him.

She said the accused person, a resident of New Town along with his accomplices, hired the services of Edward and requested that he dropped them off at Children’s Park from Nima where they had stopped him at an agreed fee of GH¢60.00.

She said while on their way, one Koffie now at large who was seated at the front passenger side of the taxi, ordered the complainant to stop the taxi as they approached the National Theatre.

The prosecution said upon stopping the vehicle, the passenger seated behind the driver’s seat, tied the neck of the complainant with a rope against the headrest of the taxi seat.

She told the court that the said Koffie then pulled out a knife from his trousers, and ordered him to surrender all his money. They conducted a search on him, and made him hand over an amount of GH¢153.00 being the money he had on him as well as his mobile phone.

Miss Barnes said having surrendered the money, he was asked if he had more money on him, and he responded by informing them that he had no other monies on him, but he was stabbed with a knife in his left palm by Koffie, for his failure to have been in possession of more money as they requested.

She said after stabbing him, which resulted in his bleeding profusely, they removed the rope from his neck and bolted from the scene.

She said the complainant trailed them and raised an alarm when they attempted to board another taxi.

Samuel was then apprehended with the help of some security officials and other people in the neighbourhood, and sent to the Accra Striking Force Unit of the Ghana Police Service.

According to the prosecution, the other three, however, managed to escape.

A search conducted on Samuel revealed a hack saw blade, in a black polythene bag.