Accra Court Counts Stolen Money During Proceedings

An Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Aboagye Tandoh, was turned into a banking hall when a police investigator tendered in evidence GH₵19,942 and US$600 retrieved from Corporal Raymond Amegashie and his three accomplices, who allegedly robbed a supermarket at Nungua in the Greater Accra Region.

The moneys, believed to be the booty from the GH₵45,000 and US$1,000 allegedly stolen from the supermarket, was tendered in evidence by the case investigator, Detective Corporal Wisdom Dometi, when he appeared before the court as the third prosecution witness.

Since the money, wrapped in a brown envelope, was not marked, the presiding judge insisted that it should be counted to ensure that it was exactly up to the amount mentioned by the investigator.

Though stressful, the three court officials – Hawa, Victoria and Benedicta – were turned into cashiers and made to count the money note by note with the judge watching keenly.

The court was thrown into laughter when the judge insisted that the counters raise their hands to the table level so that everyone else could see what they were doing.

After about 10 minutes, they managed to confirm to the court that the money was up to the sum mentioned by the investigator; and it was subsequently marked as an exhibit in the trial.

Raymond Amegashie, a police corporal and his three accomplices – Ibrahim Ayirebo, motor rider; Bright Dorkanu, mechanic and Stanley Akorli, driver – allegedly robbed a supermarket at Nungua in the Greater Accra Region on December 12, 2017.

The police officer on the night of the robbery reportedly abandoned his post at Glotec Ghana Limited where he was detailed for guard duty – with his AK 47 rifle with 20 rounds of ammunition.

They allegedly made away with GH₵45,000 and US$1,000.

Two persons have already testified in the trial and Detective Corporal Dometi, who is the third and final prosecution witness, led in his evidence-in-chief by Chief Inspector Kwabena Adu, told the court how the cop and his accomplice planned and robbed the supermarket and their subsequent arrest.

He told the court that investigations revealed that Cpl Amegashie, whiles on duty at Glotec Ghana Limited, contacted Stanley Akorli to pick the other accused persons and meet him at his post, where they planned how to rob the supermarket.

He said Akorli, who is a driver of a cab with registration number GS 9514 – 13, then picked the cop who had already booked for an AK 47 with 20 rounds of ammunition meant for his official duty.

The witness told the court that the cop and Ibrahim, wielding an AK 47 and a foreign pistol respectively, then proceeded to the supermarket and robbed the owner amidst sporadic shootings.

Detective Corporal Dometi said Bright Dorkanu, at the time of the robbery, was standing in front of the supermarket spying around while Akorli was readily behind the steering wheel and drove away after the robbery.

The prosecution witness also told the court that the alleged robbers were intercepted at Community 18 Abattoir snap checkpoint at Tema.

He said at the time of their arrest, the cop was in his uniform and when asked where he was going he told the police officers that he was going for night duty at Tema.

“Ibrahim and Dorkanu, who were in the back seat, looked suspicious so the police ordered them to come out of the car. Ibrahim was holding a black school bag and the policemen insisted on searching the bag and this resulted in a scuffle between him and the policemen; but the officers managed to arrest him,” the witness narrated.

Detective Corporal Dometi also stated that Ibrahim told the arresting officers that the cop was their boss and so they should not allow him to run away; “but when the policemen turned around they could not find him.”

The presiding judge, Mr. Aboagye Tandoh, then adjourned the case to February 20, 2018 for the investigator to continue his evidence-in-chief.

By Gibril Abdul Razak