The Accra Circuit Court, presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah, has remanded a serving soldier, Corporal Bernard Bortey and six other suspects into police custody, in connection with the armed robbery and kidnapping of a fuel tanker driver and his mate.
The accused, including Cpl. Bortey (A1), were arraigned on Monday and pleaded not guilty to four charges: conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, kidnapping and abetment of robbery.
The court adjourned the case to August 25, 2025 while investigations continue.
The six other accused persons are: Mark Abito (A2), 34, a fuel tanker driver; Ganiu Abdulai (A3), 31, a driver; Atiiga Banabas (A4), 26, unemployed; Awine Ibrahim (A5), 25, a tanker driver’s mate; Muniru Ayebo (A6), 19, a tanker driver’s mate and Shaibu Adams (A7), 27, a tanker driver’s mate
The court also issued a directive for the release of the stolen tanker, a DAF diesel fuel truck with registration number GT-2493-20 and its 54,000 litres of diesel, valued at GH¢769,500.00 to its owner, Petroland Ltd., represented in court by Mr. Appiah Kubi.
The decision followed a request from the prosecution citing safety concerns over the vehicle being parked in the open at the police station.
The facts presented by the prosecution, led by ASP Issah Achibari holding brief for ASP Emmanuel Heligah, indicated that the robbery took place on August 6, 2025 at Pampaso Number 1, in the Eastern Region.
According to the police, Cpl. Bortey, stationed at the Ghana Armed Forces’ Teaching and Doctrine College and four other accomplices – Raphael Amartey, Arhin and two others, all currently at large, trailed a fuel tanker from Tema to Pampaso.
At gunpoint, they intercepted the truck and kidnapped the driver, Jerry Kawuo, and his mate, Desmond Owusu Junior, forcing them into a green pickup (GX 2881-22).
The stolen fuel tanker was allegedly driven to Pacific Fuel Station at Bunso Junction, where the other accused persons were caught red-handed attempting to discharge the fuel into an empty tanker (GN 804-13) using a pumping machine.
Around 12:30 a.m. on August 7, 2025 police at a checkpoint in Ablekuma Borkorborkor arrested Cpl. Bortey, who was in military uniform.
The victims, still handcuffed in the pickup, managed to raise an alarm, prompting the arrest. Follow-up investigations led to the arrest of the other six accused at Bunso Junction.
According to the prosecutor, the group had planned the heist in advance, splitting into two teams—one to monitor the tanker from Tema, and another, led by Cpl. Bortey, to execute the robbery at Pampaso.
All seven suspects have been remanded into police custody to reappear in court on August 25, 2025.
Police say efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining suspects currently at large.
