Twelve Accused persons have been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court in relation to the recent shooting of a Police Officer, Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi on duty at the Kwabenya District Police Headquarters and the rescue of detainees.
The twelve suspects have been identified as Prince Osei, Atta Kwadwo, Kofi Darko, Nancy Denta, George Yeboah, Prince Kofi Acheampong, Edward Lartey, Kofi Seshie, George Sarbah, Elvis Owusu, George Asante and Theophilus Bandah.
Prince Osei, Atta Kwadwo and Kofi Darko, were charged with conspiracy to commit escape from lawful custody, and another count of escape from lawful custody.
Prince Osei and Atta Kwadwo pleaded guilty to both charges whilst Kofi Darko pleaded not guilty to both charges.
Nancy Denta, George Yeboah, Prince Kofi Acheampong, Edward Lartey, Kofi Seshie, George Sarbah, Elvis Owusu, George Asante and Theophilus Bandah, were charged with the offence of abetting to escape from lawful custody.
All the nine Accused persons pleaded ‘not guilty’.
In reading the facts of the case, Superintendent Kofi Bempah, the Prosecutor, said the Complainants are Police Officers stationed at Kwabenya District Headquarters in Accra. On 21st January, 2018 at about 1:30am, a gang of armed men numbering six (6) attacked the Kwabenya Police Station and freed their colleagues who were held in lawful detention for various violent crimes they were involved in.
According to the Prosecutor, two of the gangsters entered the charge office of the Kwabenya Police Station and told the Police Officer on duty, Robert Owusu, that someone had borrowed money from them and refused to pay back. The Police Officer advised them to seek redress at the civil court.
Superintendent Bempah explained that at that moment, the two men turned and signalled the rest who laid ambush within the station and they launched attack on the Policemen at the charge office.
“They shot Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi who was on duty as a monitoring officer on the right buttocks, and held other police officers hostage”, he said.
According to Superintendent Bempah, the armed men took the keys to the cells and released seven of the inmates namely; Chibuzor Akwuba, Emmanuel Kotey, Rockson Edem Dzigbede, Dickson Ofori, Prince Osei (First Accused), Atta Kwadwo (Second Accused) and Kofi Darko (Third Accused).
The Prosecutor added that after the gang left, the police officers arranged for an ambulance and rushed Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi to the Police Hospital for treatment, but Inspector Ashilevi was referred to 37 Military Hospital where he died on arrival.
“Police intelligence led to the arrest of George Yeboah, the Fifth Accused person, who assisted the First and Second Accused persons with GH¢200 to escape out of the jurisdiction. The Fifth Accused person also gave GH¢40 to Kofi Darko, the Third Accused, to enable him run out of the jurisdiction”, the Prosecutor added.
Superintendent Bempah said that on 23rd January, 2018, Police intelligence led to the arrest of the First and the Second Accused persons at Worawora in the Volta Region.
He further added that investigations revealed that whilst in detention on 18th January, 2018, the First Accused person overheard other inmates; Chibuzor Akwuba, Dickson Ofori and Rockson Edem Dzigbede (all at large), planning to escape, and later in the evening that day, the Fourth Accused person, Nancy Denta, brought a mobile phone to Dickson Ofori in the cell, which he used to contact his gang members to execute the plan.
According to the Prosecutor, Rockson Edem Dzigbede’s brother brought a hacksaw blade to him to cut the padlock to the cells, by hiding it in bread, but the hacksaw blade could not cut the padlock.
Superintendent Bempah said investigations revealed that Dickson Ofori and Chibuzor Akwuba are the boys of Prince Kofi Acheampong, the Sixth Accused person, whom he normally sent out on robbery expeditions.
According to the Prosecutor, on 25th January, 2018, at about 2:00 am, the Sixth Accused person, Prince Kofi Acheampong was arrested together with the Seventh Accused person, Edward Lartey at Afienya near Tema.
He added that on 27th January, 2018, at about 2:30 am, the Second Accused person, Atta Kwadwo, led Police to a house at Kasoa Nyanyano and pointed out the Eight Accused person, Kofi Seshie as a member of the gang that rescued them from the cells, and the one who shot the Police officer.
“The Ninth to Twelve Accused persons believed to be accomplices of the Eight Accused person were also arrested to assist police in investigations. Investigation is still ongoing”, Superintendent Bempah said.
The case has been adjourned to 13th February, 2018, to allow the Police complete investigations.
The presiding judge, His Honour Aboagye Tandoh, also deferred judgement for the guilty plea of the First and Second Accused persons to 13th February, 2018.
Source: Ghanajustice/F.Kyeremanteng
