One out of the five persons nabbed in the robbery of a Chinese national at Caprice in Accra on December 9, this year, has been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court.
Emmanuella Chinwetalu, who is pregnant, was granted bail in the sum of ¢100,000 with four sureties who are to be residents within the jurisdiction.
Four of the accused persons have been remanded into lawful custody pending further investigation into the matter.
They are Prince Anthony Chiobi, Izichuku Igwenagu, Martin Ahamafula and Godfred Chukubuka, aka, Caleb, who is now a serving convict.
The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Haligah, said the Police was still on the heels of the sixth accused person – Yaw John Darko Ikenna- said to be at large.
“We need more time to get to the sixth accused person and some others we believe were part of the accused persons who perpetrated the crime.
“The prosecution is liaising with the International Police (INTERPOL), Nigeria to get the sixth accused person arrested and brought to Ghana to face justice.
“We are, therefore, praying the court to extend the accused persons’ remand in police custody so that we can get the sixth accused person who is the kingpin or leader of this notorious robbery group,” the prosecution said.
ASP Haligah also prayed the court not take the plea of the accused persons.
Edward Nana Asare and Andy Vortia, who represented the accused persons, prayed to the court to admit the accused person to bail but the court declined.
The matter has been adjourned to January 9, 2023.
The five accused persons have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime to wit robbery and robbery.
The case of the prosecution was that on December 9, 2022, the Accra Regional Police Command had information that some armed men on motorbike had attacked, shot and robbed a Chinese woman of some valuables at Caprice, a suburb in Accra.
It said the Regional Police on receipt of the information dispatched police personnel to the scene to ascertain the act and investigate.
The prosecution said the victim informed the Police that the robbers took her ¢370,000, which she had earlier cashed from Standard Chartered Bank West Hills Mall branch on the day of the incident.
It said the victim further stated that she also had cash in the sum of ¢40,000 and $8,000 as well as two iPhones (iPhone 11 and 8+), all stolen.
The prosecution said Police intelligence revealed that the “suspects before this honourable court and others were involved in the crime and it emerged that they were at a hideout at Buduburam.”
It said when the Police got there, the robbers engaged in a shootout resulting in the deaths of Nneji Harrison Ogbonna and another.
The prosecution said the accused persons were later apprehended while others escaped.
It said during investigations, it emerged that the suspects met at Igwenagu’s drinking spot at Buduburam and planned the crime.
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According to the prosecution, investigations revealed that Ikenna, now at large, had agreed with Godfred Chukubuka, who had been convicted for 10 years by another Circuit Court for a similar offence, to commit the crime.
The prosecution told the court that the investigation also indicated that the accused persons entered Ghana through unapproved routes with the intention to commit a crime and go back.
It said the Police had received information that Ikenna was hiding in Nigeria and that he had sent money (¢1,300) as transportation for his wife (Emmanuella, the third accused person) to join him in Nigeria.