An Accra Circuit Court presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah has remanded three persons – Kwame Aware, 39 and a clearing agent, Emmanuel Nyarko Boafo, 37 and mason, Nurudeen Adams, 32 and a farmer – for robbery, kidnapping and abetment of crime.
The accused persons were remanded into police custody on Monday, February 6, 2023 after pleading not guilty to the charges.
Mr Acquah has adjourned the case to February 13 for continuation.
Brief facts
The prosecution, led by ASP Maxwell Oppong, told the court that the complainant in the case is Roland Clottey, a mason who is resident of Ablekuma-Joma.
He added that the accused persons, Kwabena Awere, Emmanuel Nyarko Boadi, Nurudeen Adam and others, now at large, are Traders and farmers respectively residing at Ablekuma-Joma.
According to him, on July 27, 2021 the complainant sent his children to school at Joma CP with his unregistered 125 Royal motorbike.
When he was returning home, he decided to service his exhaust pipe at a nearby fitting shop and whilst there, Kwame, Emmanuel and four others appeared there in two cars and two motorbikes.
The court was told that Kwame was first to get down from his car and started beating the complainant and pointed him out to his gang that he was the one who tore the banner.
The rest also joined Kwame and subjected the complainant to beatings and later put him in Kwame’s car and drove him together with his motorbike to Nurudeen, their boss at his ranch at Joma.
Nurudeen allegedly ordered Kwame and Emmanuel and their accomplices to take his Itel and Tecno mobile phones from him and further subjected their victim to severe beatings. He was also made to carry a log on his shoulders for strenuous exercise and videoed him.
The accused persons and their accomplices tied the complainant up against electric pole and demanded a ransom of GH¢2,000.00 before he could gain his freedom.
The complainant’s brothers, who are witnesses in the case, heard of the incident and went there to rescue him but were also attacked in the process by the accused persons and their accomplices, who also seized their motorbikes.
The prosecutor added that later, one Moses, together with another by name Teiko went to pay GH¢1,000.00 before the complainant was released. The complainant later reported the matter to the Police with a video footage where Emmanuel was captured.
Nurudeen was arrested and granted bail, but later jumped bail. Kwame and Emmanuel were arrested at their hideout and were charged with offences and brought before court.
ASP Oppong also informed the court that efforts are underway to trace and arrest the other accomplices.
