Pastor Nabbed For Robbing Indians

From left: Pastor Joseph Tommy, Samuel Bright, Abubakar Sadiq, Abraham Ayembillah and Bright Agbesi in police custody

Pastor Joseph Tommy, 42, has been arrested together with four others for allegedly attempting to rob some Indians of precious mineral in Accra.

The other suspects include Bright Agbesi, 20-year- old driver of the victims; Samuel Bright, 23, a student; Abraham Kwaku  Ayembilla, aka Azeeman,  32-year-old driver and Abubakar Sadiq, aka Hego,  23, a herdsman.

Items retrieved from them included one foreign pistol with four rounds of ammunitions, a locally manufactured pistol with one cartridge and a mask.

Suspects are now in the custody of the Accra Regional Police Command assisting in investigations.

Briefing the media, DCOP Christian Tetteh Yohuno, the Accra Regional Police Commander, said on June 28, 2014, Bright Agbesi, who worked in the office of Bhagya Laxmi Impex Limited – dealer in gold whose owners are Indians – consulted Pastor Joseph Tommy, his spiritual father, to help him (Agbesi) engage armed robbers to rob his company so that they share the booty.

Pastor Tommy, who lived in Mossi Zongo, engaged an eyewitness to join them execute the job.

The pastor, according to DCOP Tetteh Yohuno,  also contacted Ayembilla Kweku, aka Azeeman and Abubakar Sadiq for arms for the operation and consequently conveyed the arms to the witness and directed him to meet the alleged gang at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra on July 1, 2014.

The witness alerted the Kumasi police about the whole operation and so the Accra Regional Command was alerted.

Around 5:30 to 6:30 pm that fateful day, the witness was received in Accra by Pastor Tommy and suspect Samuel Bright, who were already in Accra to execute the robbery operation.

Pastor Tommy, in an attempt to hand over the arms to the witness, was arrested by the police and his accomplices.

In his caution statement, Pastor Tommy admitted to the police his intended action and pleaded to be allowed to call Bright Agbesi – driver of the victims –  to meet them for his share of the booty.

Immediately Agbesi was informed by Pastor Tommy that the operation was successful and that they should meet and share the booty, he (Agbesi) came around and was arrested.

The two others – Ayembilla and Sadiq – also travelled from Kumasi to Accra with intent to collect their share of the booty and were busted.

Caution Statements
All five suspects, in their caution statement, admitted to the offence and pleaded for mercy.

Pastor Tommy told the police that he needed the money to assist his child attend senior high school which was why he admitted to recruit the suspected armed robbers to carry out the act.

Bright Agbesi, the driver of the company, on the other hand, told the police that he was badly treated by his bosses, even though he doubles as the houseboy of the victims.

'My bosses do not treat me well at all and when we travel, the only money they give me for food is GH¢1.00 only,' Agbesi asserted.

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By Linda Tenyah