Two Kwabenya fugitives convicted

Two of the three suspects, who escaped lawful custody at the Kwabenya Police station, were on Tuesday convicted by an Accra Circuit Court.
    
The two, Prince Osei and Atta Kwadwo, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit crime, and escape from lawful custody.
    
The third accused, Kofi Darko, who was also charged with the same offences, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
    
The three were part of escapees who were freed by some robbers, after they attacked the Kwabenya Police station, killing a Police Officer on duty, and freeing some cell inmates in the process.
    
The court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh, convicted the two on their own plea, but deferred sentences to February 13.
    
Meanwhile, nine other accused, charged with abetment and escape from lawful custody, pleaded not guilty to the charge and were remanded into Police custody and are to reappear on February 13.
    
The nine, are Nancy Denta, trader, George Yeboah, electrician, Kofi Acheampong and Edward Lartey, both herbalists, Kofi Seshie and George Sarbah both drivers, Elvis Owusu, waiter, George Asante, trader, Theophilus Bandah, and Prince Kofi Acheampong, both herbalists.
    
The Prosecution had earlier prayed the court to be given some time to conclude investigations, to which counsels Frank Afrifa who represented some of the accused, and Augustine Gyamfi representing five of them agreed.
  
However, Counsel Bernard Owiredu who represented Nancy prayed the court for bail for his client.
The court however asked Counsel Owiredu to file a formal application in respect of the bail for his client.
    
The court asked the prosecution to take the necessary steps in order to deal with the matter expeditiously, saying “if you need the AG’s advice do that immediately before the next adjourned date.”
     
He said within this same period the prosecution, must do well to get the consent of the AG to be able to deal with Prince Osei’s other two charges of possessing firearms and abetment to the possession of firearms.
     
The facts of the case as presented by Prosecution led by Superintendent of Police, Kweku Bempah were that, the complainants are policemen stationed at Kwabenya District Headquarters.
    
Prince Osei, 25, is a scrap dealer living at Glefe Dansoman, while Atta Kwadwo, 20, is a driver and Kofi Darko, 25 is also a trader living at Glefe, Dansoman. Nancy is 28 and lives at Dome, George Yeboah is also 30 and lives around the Graphic Road.
    
He said Prince Kofi Acheampong is 32 and lives at Afienya, Edward is 20 and lives at Tema Newtown, Kofi Seshie is 28, George Sarbah is 23, Elvis is 31, George Asante is 33, and Theophilus is 25.
    
Mr Bempah said on January 21, at about 0130 hours, a gang of armed men numbering six planned and attacked the Kwabenya Police station and freed their colleagues who were being held in detention for various violent crimes.
    
He told the court that in execution of their plan, the assailants proceeded to the station whilst two of them who pretended to have a complaint to lodge, entered the charge office and told the counter Non Commision Oficer (NCO) that someone borrowed money from them and had refused to pay back.
    
The counter NCO No. 43225 G/Cpl. Robert Owusu advised them to seek a redress at the civil court since the case they were reporting was civil matter, the two turned and signalled the rest, who had laid ambush within the premises, and launched an attack on the policemen at the charge office.
    
The prosecution said they shot Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi, who was on duty as a monitoring officer on the right buttock, held the counter NCO, his counter orderly, the charge office guard and the night investigator hostages.
    
He said they took the keys to the cells and released seven of the inmates, namely, Chibuzor Akwuba, Emmanuel Kotey, Rockson Edem Dzigbede, Dickson Ofori, Prince Osei, Attah Kwadwo, and Kofi Darko.
    
After the armed attack, the assailants fled the scene, the NCO and the night investigator arranged for an ambulance and rushed Inspector Asilevi to the Police Hospital for treatment, but they were referred to the 37 Military Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Mr Bempah told the court that, Police intelligence, led to the arrest of George Yeboah, who assisted Prince Osei and Attah Kwadwo with GH¢200.00 to escape out of the jurisdiction.
   
He also gave GH¢40.00 to Kofi Darko to enable to him escape from the jurisdiction.
    
He said on January 23, Police intelligence led to the arrest of Prince Osei and Attah Kwadwo at Worawora in the Volta Region.     
    
Investigations also revealed that whiles in detention, on January 18, Prince Osei overheard other inmates planning to escape.
    
According to the police, in the evening on the same day, Nancy, brought a mobile phone to Dickson in the cells and he used same to contact his people outside to execute the escape plan.
   
Rockson’s brother also brought a hacksaw blade to him by hiding it in bread to cut the padlocks to the cells but he couldn’t cut the padlock.
    
He said on interrogation, Prince Osei, said he stole his gun from Prince Kofi Acheampong.
   
He also revealed that Dickson and Chibuzor are Acheampong’s boys who he normally sends out on robbery expeditions.
    
Mr Bempah said further investigations also revealed that it was Acheampong in collaboration with Dickson and Chibuzor who sent the armed men to attack and release them from the cells which led to the death of the inspector.
    
On January 25, at about 0200 hours, Acheampong was arrested together with Edward who was also involved in the attack from their hideout at Afienya.
    
The prosecution said on January 27 at about 0230 hours, Attah led the police to a house at Kasoa Nyanyano and pointed Kofi Seshie to the police as one of the gang members who came to rescue them from the cells and also shot and killed the Police officer.
    
He said the rest are suspected to be accomplices and were arrested to assist in police investigations.

Source: GNA

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