Kwabenya Raid: Two Handed 60 Months Jail Term

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced two persons said to have played a part in the Kwabenya police station attack.

Prince Osei and Atta Kojo have each been sentenced to 30 months imprisonment for their role in the jailbreak that also led to the shooting and killing of one police officer.

The court presided over by Justice Aboagye Tandoh, sentenced the two lawbreakers based on their own plea.

The sentence is expected to run concurrently.
According to the court, habeas corpus would have been expected but for clemency pleaded for and on behalf of the accused by Counsel George Asumani who acted as a friend to the court.

Touching on the bail application mooted by counsels for the remaining suspects, the court said it was giving the prosecutor, Superintendent Kweku Bempah, the last opportunity to conclude his investigations on the matter to enable the court to proceed on the merit of the case and further adjourned the matter to February 26.

Earlier in court, counsel for the 4th accused person, Nancy Dentaah, who was perceived to have aided the suspects to escape from lawful custody said, his client is an entrepreneur and a mother of a 6-year-old boy who cannot in anyway assist in such a criminal act.

Bernard Wiredu, further prayed the court to admit his client to bail to enable her to take care of her son who has been longing to see his mother.

Although he concedes that humanitarian reasons are not for a grant of bail without recourse to the law, he pleaded for clemency with the firm conviction that, his client cannot run away from any charges that will be levelled against her.

Again counsel for the 10 and 12 accused persons told the court that his clients were wrongfully arrested by the police after Atta Kojo, the second accused person who has now been slapped with 30 months imprisonment pointed a rented house in Kasoa in which the accused stays hence his arrest by the police.

He again told the court that his clients are gainfully employed with one of the leading supermarkets and would not engage in such an act.

Making further statement he told the court that one of his clients is still recovering from a surgery of the throat but the court rejected that assertion with the view that, all the suspects are on the same scale.

The court has since refused to grant the bail application mooted by the 10 other suspects and has adjourned the matter to February 26.

In all, 12 persons are standing trial for their involvement in last month's attack, which the Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu has described as an "awful and unforgettable day".

Accused persons and charge
1. Prince Osei -
-charged with possessing firearm without lawful authority (On hold),

-conspiracy to commit crime to wit escape from lawful custody (pleaded guilty)

-Escape from lawful custody(pleaded guilty)
2. Atta Kwadwo
-conspiracy to commit crime to wit escape from lawful custody (pleaded guilty)

-Escape from lawful custody(pleaded guilty)
3. Kofi Darko
conspiracy to commit crime to wit escape from lawful custody (pleaded not guilty)

-Escape from lawful custody(pleaded not guilty)
4.Nancy Denta
5.George Yeboah
6.Prince Acheampong
7. Edward Lartey
8. Kofi Seshie
9.George Sarbah
10. Elvis Owusu
11. George Asante and
12. Theophilus Bandah charged with Abetment to escape from lawful custody.

Timeline of Kwabenya Gang attack
21 January 2018: At about 1:30am Sunday, a six-man gang attacked Kwabenya police station and freed seven cell inmates. Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi believed to be in his 40's was killed.

22 January 2018: Police in Accra screen an undisclosed number of suspects picked up in connection with the deadly Sunday dawn cell break at Kwabenya in the Greater Accra Region.

23 January 2018: Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante-Appeatu, summoned to Parliament over the recent killings of police officers.

25 January 2018: Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu addresses press conference and names four suspects have been picked up in relation to the killing of the Inspector and the jailbreak.

27 January 2018: Kwabenya police attack: Cop killer arrested

28 January 2018: A one-week memorial service is held at the Pokuase residence of Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi who was murdered last Sunday.

29 January 2018: Police schedule Feb 4 for 'special prayers' against attacks

30 January 2018: 12 arraigned at Accra Circuit court; 2 convicted after confessing to crime.