An Accra Circuit Court yesterday acquitted and discharged one of the four persons standing trial for allegedly robbing Akua Donkor, founder of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP).
According to the court, state prosecutors have filed to link Opoku Agyemang to the crime.
The acquittal of the accused follows a submission of no case filed by Vincent Aikins, lawyer for the accused person, who insisted that his client was innocent.
Opoku Agyemang, a trader and three others Banabas Kayase, driver/secretary, Razak Shaibu, a member of the GPRTU Taskforce and Yakubu Yusif, trader and the Central Regional Chairman of the GFP, have been in police custody over the alleged robbery of the controversial founder of the party.
The prosecution said the accused persons, at about 2:30 am at Sowutuom, a suburb of Accra on December 30, 2016, and at Taifa in Accra, conspired to rob the GFP 2016 flagbearer at gunpoint and snatched her travelling bag containing plane ticket, Ghanaian passport, voter ID card, $30,000 and GH¢3,000.
Two other accomplices-Joe and Nuamah aka Lion, are currently on the run.
No Case
Lawyer Aikins, a Managing Partner of 1st Law Firm, in the submission of no case application filed on July 11, 2017, stated that a critical look at the prosecution’s facts showed that the facts do not support the charges against his client.
He argued that the facts, as adduced by the prosecution, led by Chief Superintendent Duuti Tuaruka, are porous so as to sustain the charge of conspiracy to rob against Opoku Agyemang.
The senior lawyer, among others, stated that “in the light of the above stated arguments, I respectfully submit that the prosecution has woefully failed to prove the guilt of the accused person for conspiracy the requisite degree required by law.”
Mr. Aikins contended: “It is pellucidly manifest that the evidence against the accused person is so flawed to the extent that any straining object will whittle it away. I hope that judicial notice will be taken of the fact that the burden imposed on the prosecution to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt has been miserably discharged and could not stand the test of times.”
Ruling
In a ruling, the trial judge, Aboagye Tandoh upheld the no case application of the lawyer, saying the court was unable to invite Opoku Agyemang to open his defence in respect of the matter.
He stated that the court conjectures when the evidence of the prosecution is insufficient.
Mr. Tandoh stated that the prosecution failed to adduce sufficient evidence against Opoku Agyemang.
According to the court, the prosecution has however been able to establish a prima facie case against the other three accused persons.
Case Close
The prosecution on June 27 told the court that the prosecution had closed its case.
In all, five witnesses, including the complainant, Akua Donkor, Detective Sergeant Jonas Ghebe and the case investigator, took turns to testify in the case which was dramatic.
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