An Accra Circuit court has granted bail to five policemen who allegedly robbed a student of GH¢ 20,000 at gunpoint at East Legon in Accra.
The accused persons, General Lance Corporal Redeemer Agama, General Constables Wishwell Odoo, Evans Amwagsi, Lawat Agyapong and Sena Kuvordo, who have been charged with conspiracy, robbery and conspiracy to commit crime to wit, giving bribe to influence public officer, were granted bail in the sum of GH¢ 80,000 with three sureties following a bail application by their lawyer.
As part of the bail conditions, two of the sureties must be public servants earning not less than GH¢ 2,000 a month.
They are to reappear on July 13 at the court presided over by Mrs Rosemond Torsu.
The policemen who are from the National Deployment Force (RDF) at the National headquarters, are also alleged to have offered their case investigator a GH¢2,500 bribe to cover them up in the matter.
They have, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against them by the prosecutor.
Facts
The facts as presented by the prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Evans Kesse, were that the complainant, Jeffery Mackeon Yeboah, was a student and a businessman, while the accused persons who were with the RDF Unit, usually performed vehicular patrol duties.
The prosecutor said on May 24 this year, at about 0200 hours, the complainant was on board an Uber around the University of Professional Studies, Accra, when the accused persons were on Operation Calm Life Police Service vehicle with arms meant for night patrol.
He said the policemen forced the victim (complainant) into a police patrol vehicle and accused him of scamming.
The prosecution said the accused persons threatened the complainant with harm and asked the complainant to hand over every penny on him as they drove him from Madina to Awudome cemetery, near Kaneshie.
Demand
The accused persons, according to the prosecution, demanded over GH¢20,000.00 from the complainant amid terrorisations.
The prosecutor said the accused persons ordered the complainant to transfer the cash from his bank account through the online banking system into his mobile money account.
“Accused persons continued to hold the victim hostage at Kwame Nkrumah Circle and a civilian joined them in the Police Patrol vehicle.
The victim, acting on instructions of the accused persons amid threats and harm, transferred cash in the sum of GH¢20,000.00 from his Ecobank Account,” he said.
Transaction records
ASP Kesse said having robbed the victim (complainant) of his money, they deleted the transaction records on his phone and drove him to Kwame Nkrumah Circle and forced him into a taxi.
He said the accused persons instructed the taxi driver to move his car without looking back and they sped off.
The prosecution said a report was made to the police and investigations led to the arrest of the policemen and the cash of GH¢20,000.00 was also retrieved.
He noted that after the arrest of the policemen, they bribed the case investigator with cash in the sum of GH¢2,500.00 to cover them up in the case.
The prosecutor said an itemised bill had been sent to Abeka District Court for disclosures and efforts were underway to arrest the civilian accomplice whose mobile money account was used to facilitate the crime.