Cop robber recants confession

An Accra Circuit Court has adjourned to March 19, 2018 the case of Corporal Raymond Amegashie, who has been arraigned with three other suspects for allegedly robbing a supermarket at Nungua in the Greater Accra Region.
The cop is alleged to have confessed to committing the crime in his further statement – which the police are using against him.
But he has denied the assertion by the police, saying he was beaten and coerced to admit robbing the supermarket with the other three suspects.
As a result, the prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Kwabena Adu, asked the court to allow them to present an independent witness, who was there when the cop wrote his statement and further ones.
The court, presided over by Aboagye Tandoh, subsequently adjourned the case and asked the prosecutor to do so as soon as possible so that the court can take a decision on the case.
Raymond Amegashie, a police officer, and his alleged three accomplices – Ibrahim Ayirebo, motor rider; Bright Dorkanu, mechanic and Stanley Akorli, driver – allegedly robbed a supermarket at Nungua on December 12, 2017.
In the night of the day the robbery reportedly took place, it is alleged that the cop abandoned his post at Glotec Ghana Limited, where he was detailed for guard duty with his AK47 rifle and 20 rounds of ammunition.
They allegedly made away with GH₵45,000 and US$1,000.
Two persons have already testified in the trial – who have all confirmed that the cop and his accomplices indeed robbed the supermarket.
The investigator, Detective Corporal Dometi, who is the third and final prosecution witness, led in his evidence-in-chief by Chief Inspector Kwabena Adu, told the court how the cop and his accomplices planned and robbed the supermarket and their subsequent arrests.
The court, prior to yesterday’s adjournment, was turned into a virtual banking hall when the case investigator tendered in evidence GH₵19,942 and US$600 retrieved from Amegashie and his three alleged accomplices.
Since the money wrapped in a brown enveloped was not marked, the presiding judge insisted that it should be counted to ensure that it is exactly up to the amount mentioned by the investigator.
Though stressful, the three court officials – Hawa, Victoria and Benedicta – were turned into cashiers and made to count the money note by note with the judge watching on keenly.
After about 10 minutes, they managed to confirm to the court that the money was up to the sum mentioned by the investigator and was subsequently marked as an exhibit in the trial.