The Accra Circuit Court has jailed a driver, Stephen Acheampong, who masterminded the robbery of his employers, Best 5 Company.
He perpetuated the crime together with Samuel Quansah, a herbalist based at Enyinam, and another currently at large.
Samuel, first accused (A1), and Stephen (A2) have been sentenced to 20 years each in prison on conspiracy to commit a crime and robbery.
They were sentenced by the court, presided over by His Honour Isaac Addo, last week Wednesday, and pleaded guilty simiplicita.
The court was also told by the prospecting office, Chief Inspector Jonas Lawer, that the police were also on a manhunt for suspect, Emmanuel Etsiwa, also known as Champana.
Samuel, Stephen and Emmanuel acted together to robbed Best 5 Company off GH¢303,035.00, while the money was being transported at Tesano in Accra.
Mr. Addo was also informed that a policeman, Chief Inspector Jonathan Amoadu Prince, was shot in his abdomen by Samuel, and his father, Kwesi Quansah, while resisting arrest.
Various weapons and ammunition were retrieved from them.
Stephen was the architect of the robbery, which took place in broad daylight.
The following are the details.
C/Ins Lawer narrated to the court that the complainants, Ali Mousa Dagher and Dominic Essel, are sales representative and driver of Best 5 Company Limited respectively.
He added that Samuel Quansah and Emmanuel Etsiwa, also known as Champana (at large), are residents of Enyanmaim in the Central Region, while Stephen Acheampong lives in Accra.
The prosecutor said on August 15, 2023, the complainants, in the company of Stephen, went to the police station at about 6:40pm to report that they had been robbed.
Per their statements, the robbery took place at about 3:34pm while returning from Ashaiman to the company office in their vehicle.
According to them, two armed robbers stopped the vehicle and robbed them off their money in a total sum of GH¢303,035.00 at gunpoint at a section of the road within Tesano.
The police, after carefully listening to their complaints, arrested Stephen for investigation.
During police preliminary investigations, Stephen confessed his involvement in the robbery and mentioned Samuel and Emmanuel as his accomplices, and that they lived at Mankessim Enyanmaim in the Central Region.
On August 18, 2023, a police team of investigators was dispatched from the Accra Regional Police Intelligence Department and Mankessim District Police Command to Enyanmaim township to trace and apprehend Stephen’s accomplices from their hideouts.
However, on reaching the town, Samuel had a hint of the police presence in the area and run to a different place within the town to hide.
The police team on the next day, at about 3:10am, while still combing the area managed to track him to his father’s newly-built house, located about three miles away from where he lived.
Samuel, on seeing the police, quickly ran to hide himself in the father’s room.
Chief Inspector Jonathan Amoadu Prince, who was part of the police team, shouted and introduced himself to the convict’s father as a peace officer.
Unfortunately, when the officer approached him at his doorway to explain why the team was there, the latter ran inside the room and picked up a single barrel gun and shot the Chief Inspector in the abdomen.
Like an ostrich, Kwesi Quansah went back to his room to hide, and together with his son, fired a number of gunshots at the police through the window.
The intensity of the attack compelled the police to tactically retreat, but later managed to overpower and arrest them from the room.
A spot search conducted in the room led to the retrieval of one single barrel gun, 11 AAA spent cartridges, eight live AAA cartridges, one locally manufactured pistol, a coumo bag containing part of the money robbed totaling GH¢195,191.00.
The team extended the search to Samuel’s hideout in an uncompleted building and retrieved one more locally manufactured pistol under his bed.
The victim, C/Ins Jonathan Amoadu Prince, sustained gunshot injuries and was rushed to Mercy Women Hospital at Mankessim for treatment but was later referred to the Cape Coast Government Hospital for further treatment.
The court was told that the victim is currently in a critical health condition, receiving treatment on admission at the hospital.
During investigations, Samuel admitted the offenses and stated that it was Stephen, a worker at Best 5 Company, who masterminded the robbery.
Similarly, investigations revealed that Samuel did not have a permit to possess or use the exhibit pistol.
Samuel’s father, Kwesi Quansah, has been arraigned and put before the District Court for committal processes.
Meanwhile, efforts are being made to trace and apprehend the third accused who is on the run to be brought to book.
