National Security Operative, Immigration Officer, 3 others granted bail after attack on sand winners

The Koforidua Circuit Court has admitted five(5) accused persons including an Akyem Abuakwa chief who claims to be a National Security Operative to bail in the sum of GHC200,000 cedis with 2 sureties.

The accused persons are Nana Barfuor Sarpong, Nana Barima Twum Tarbiade II, both sub-chiefs in Akyem Abuakwa.

The rest are Jonathan Martey ,Eric Yaw Obeng ,Victor Ahenkora Koranteng ,and others at large .

They were arraigned before court on Friday June 19, 2021 on seven charges which are; conspiracy to commit crime to wit kidnapping, Kidnapping, causing unlawful harm, stealing, conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, possession of firearm and ammunition

The case has been adjourned to 19th July 2021.

The Prosecuting Officer Cyril Boateng Keteku, Assistant State Attorney explained to the court that, the first complainant in the case, Osae Kwame, 59, is a farmer while the second complainant Alhassan Zakari, 39, is also a farmer.

The third complainant Samuel Astu Forson is Chief of Adeiso also Executive Officer of Summertide sand winning Company.

He said the accused persons are Nana Baffuor Sarpong who claimed to be National Security Personnel attached to Forestry Commission as training Coordinator and timber monitoring officer.

The second accused person Nana Barima Twum Tabirade claimed to be boundary Chief of all Akyem lands. The third accused person Jonathan Martey is a driver to Nana Barfuor , the fourth accused person Eric Yaw Obeng claimed to be aide to the Nana Barfuor, while the fifth accused person Victor Ahenkora Koranteng claimed to be Immigration Officer.

The other accused persons are at large.

On June 15, 2021, at about 2:00 pm, the first complainant Osae Kwame was returning from his farm to Adeiso town to buy food for his farm labourers but met the accused persons who were in convoy of three pick-up vehicles and a Jeep vehicle with registration number GS 9835-19 , stopped by him, handcuffed and abducted him into one of the Pick-Up vehicles and drove him to Tank Akuraa a farming community near Adeiso .

Police upon receipt of distress calls about the incident rushed to the village and rescued him but the accused persons sped off from the scene and invaded the sand winning site of Summertide Company at Obeng Yaw village also near Adeiso amidst sporadic firing of gunshots.

The second complainant Alhassan Zakari was shot on the left leg during the indiscriminate firing of gunshots.

They violently arrested five(5) persons at site, whisked them into their vehicles and drove away to unknown location.

The owner of the site alleged he later detected that the accused persons stole Ghc96,000 at the site during the gun violence.

The five persons arrested by the accused persons were later rescued by Kyebi Police after wireless message was activated by police.

At about 4:20pm, the accused persons were arrested by the Adeiso Police.

A search conducted in a Jeep vehicle belonging to Nana Barfuor Sarpong who claimed to be National Security Operative detected one Ak47 assault rifle, one pistol and three(3) spent shells which were retrieved by the Police.

The victims -Alhassan Zakaria and Bright Apam who sustained gunshot wounds on their legs were receiving treatment at the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua.

Meanwhile, the Eastern Regional CID has taken over the case.

---starrfm