Six more in court over robbery at Dzorwulu Hotel

Six more people including two policemen believed to have robbed a Ghanaian businessman of his monies and belongings at a Dzorwulu hotel in Accra were on Tuesday put before a Circuit Court.

The six charged with conspiracy and robbery have pleaded not guilty.

They are Corporal Lawrence Dennis Quansah, Constable Benjamin Blejumah, Aams Amanor, Peter Amanor, Kwesi Tawiah and Bismark Ampofo.

Meanwhile, Lance Corporal Karim Muntari, one Jeffery aka Kay and two others who are yet to be identified are said to be on the run.

Last week, one of the circuit Courts remanded three of the accused, all police personnel also believed to have been involved in the incident.

They are Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Kwapong, Chief Inspector (C/I) Thomas Adu and Sergeant (Sgt.) John Adjapong.

The court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of General Corporal Lawrence Dennis who did not turn up in court and four other accomplices who were at large.

They are being held on charges of conspiracy, unlawful entry and stealing.

DSP Kwapong, C/I Adu and Sgt. Adjapong pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been admitted to bail in the sum of GH 10,000 cedis with two sureties each and are expected to report to the Police every Wednesday.

They are to reappear on March 11.
In an application for bail, Mr Dela Blagodzi who represented Blejumah told the court that his client only took orders from his superior officers who had been granted bail by another court.

“I wonder how those who acted on orders could be held while those superior officers who gave the instructions are free.”

Mr Ekow Korsah, who represented Quansah, said the remand of the accused person was being used to punish his client.

Mr Korsah wondered why the police could prefer charges against his client when investigations were on going.

The court, presided over Mr. Iddrisu Mahamadu stated that it was premature for him to grant the accused persons bail and remanded them into police custody to reappear on March 12.

Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) P.K Frimpong said Mr Kweku Duah a Ghanaian resident in Switzerland was the complainant pointing out that Amanor knew Mr Duah when they were both in Switzerland.

Prosecution said sometime last year, Mr Duah discussed with Amanor of his intention of coming to Ghana to purchase some gold.

Amanor promised to assist the complainant to buy the gold whenever he returns to Ghana.

Consequently, Mr Duah arrived in Ghana on February 1, this year and checked in at Relax Hotel at Dzorwulu in Accra.

The following day, Jeffery armed himself with a pistil and he and Amanor together with Gyasi, Tawiah and Ampofo and two other Nigerians now at large went to the complainant's hotel room under the pretext of transacting business with him

Prosecution said Quansah, Muntari, Acheampong and Blejumah all policemen and one soldier yet to be identified also came to the hotel.

Prosecution said Quansah, Muntari, Acheampong and Blejumah broke into the complainant's hotel room while Amanor pulled out a pistol on Mr Duah.

The accused persons assaulted the complainant and he bled from his nose. They further searched Mr Duah's room and took two envelopes containing 53,000 US dollars, 800 Euros, GH 2,000 cedis from his pockets.

Not satisfied, the accused persons ransacked Mr Duah's room and made away with a black bag containing a walkman, CD players, one digital camera, and two bunches of keys and one Standard Chartered book all valued 4,000 US dollars.

Prosecution said the accused person pretentiously arrested the complainant and later abandoned him at Tema.

Mr Duah reported the matter to the Police and accused person were arrested.

GNA