A 34-year-old Nigerian national, John Benjamin, has been dragged to an Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Her Honour Evelyn Asamoah over, for his alleged involvement in the broad daylight robbery that occurred at Caprice, a suburb of Accra, somewhere last year.
Benjamin was accused, together with three others who are currently on the run, of conspiracy to commit a crime and robbery. The accused, who appeared in court yesterday, pleaded not guilty to the offences, and was granted bail in the sum of GH¢200,000 with four sureties, two to be justified.
Reading the brief facts to the court, the prospecting officer, ASP Maxwell Oppong, stated that the accused and his alleged accomplices robbed one Li Xu Zenden, Managing Director of Y and W Company Limited, and a complainant in the case.
ASP Oppong narrated to the court that John Benjamin was unemployed and lived at the Arts Centre in Accra.
According to him, on December 9, 2022, at about 10:15am, the complainant went to Standard Chartered Bank, West Hills Mall branch at Weija to withdraw money to purchase goods for the company.
While the complainant was on the way to her destination after withdrawing the money, Benjamin and his accomplices trailed her to Caprice. The accused and his accomplices then attacked her by firing gunshots into the complainant’s Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle.
The court was told that the alleged robber also fired three tyres of her vehicle and robbed her off cash she was carrying and other personal belongings.
He said the monies were in various sums and currencies, GH¢37,000.00, GH¢40,000.00, US$8,000.00, as well as one iPhone 8 Plus, one iPhone II, signed cheques of Standard Chartered Bank, UBA and Zenith Banks.
The accused persons also shot the left hand of the complainant, leaving her with severe injuries.
The complainant was rushed to 37 Military Hospital for treatment where she was admitted. Benjamin, after the crime, allegedly escaped to Nigeria and later returned to Ghana.
On June 8, 2023, he was arrested at his hideout at Arts Centre. Benjamin allegedly admitted robbing a white lady off her handbag containing dollars, but failed to show where the robbery took place.
The court was also told that efforts were underway to apprehend the rest of his accomplices.
