Police to probe freeing of nine armed robbers

Agona Swedru, Nov 4, GNA - The Central Regional Police Command has set up an investigative team to probe the freeing of nine armed robbers including a woman by the Swedru Circuit Court for want of prosecution Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rose Atinga, Central Regional Commander, who disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency(GNA) in an interview said she did not understand why prosecutors at the Swedru Divisional Police Command led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Christian Bortsi failed to appear in court leading to the discharge of the suspects.

ACP Atinga said DSP Bortsi would be summoned to appear before a panel in Cape Coast to answer why he and his team did not appear in court for the hearing.

"The Police should try and re-arrest these armed robbers who have been discharged by the court because the society is under serious threat by the activities of armed robbers," the Regional Commander said. An Agona Swedru Circuit Court presided over by Mr Charles Adjei Wilson, on 27th October 2005, discharged the nine armed robbers following the non appearance of the Prosecutors and submissions by the defense counsels that their human rights were being infringed upon by the court for keeping them in prison custody for a long period without trial.

The suspects are Yakubu Mohammed, Osumanu Musah, Mukaila Wana, Osuman Mohammed, Justa Thomas, Somo Gbelowoe, Yao Agbove, Alhaji Mohammed Haruna and Maame Asieduwa, the woman.

Meanwhile, the Swedru Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Nat Acquah, speaking to the GNA said he had issued a query to DSP Bortsi to explain why he did not attend the court hearing. According to the Chief Superintendent, he issued the query because Mr Wilson officially wrote to the Police that he wanted to conclude all armed robbery cases pending before the court and did not understand why DSP Bortsi refused to attend court to prosecute the cases.

The armed robbers were arrested in and around Kasoa.