Ecobank Robber Docked

Haruna Suleman

Haruna Suleman, who is suspected to have assisted Alhassan Rabiu, a notorious armed robber who later died in a shoot-out with police, and others to rob an Ecobank branch at the Accra Shopping Mall, was yesterday put before an Accra Circuit Court.

The accused person is believed to have transported Rabiu on his motorbike for the robbery and waited with a gun at the car park to ward off anybody who thought of stopping them.

The accused person pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit crime and stealing in a court presided over Francis Obiri.

He was remanded into police custody while the matter has been adjourned to September 17, 2012.

Presenting the facts of the case, the prosecuting officer, Supt. Kofi Blagodzi, told the court that on 21st July 2011, the accused person, together with Rabiu, Sam Peters, now deceased, and others conspired and robbed the Ecobank branch at Accra Shopping Mall.

They robbed the bank of an amount of GH¢105,100, US$48,000, £52,000 and €45,000.

 The prosecutor noted that the accused person shielded his accomplices as they entered the shopping mall to embark on their operation.

Suleman watched the car park with a gun in hand to ward off any person who might try to stop the operation and afterwards drove Rabiu on his motorbike after the operation was over. When the matter was reported to the police, they conducted painstaking investigations and finally arrested Rabiu at his hide-out.

The prosecutor stated that the accused person, in his caution statement, said he rode Rabiu from Ashiaman to the shopping mall for the robbery on a motorbike which he claimed was given to him by someone on the orders of Rabiu.

After the operation, he rode Rabiu on the said motorbike to a place directed by his accomplice but managed to find his way home.

The police officer stated that Rabiu later arranged a meeting with him in the presence of one of their partners called Aziz and gave him GH¢47,000, after giving Aziz GH¢50,000.

He said the suspect was arraigned after police concluded investigations.

By Fidelia Achama