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An Accra Circuit Court has commenced trial of a policeman and three others involved in robbing a trader of GH¢45,000 and $1,000 at gunpoint in a supermarket at Nungua in Accra.

General Lance Corporal Raymond Amegashie; Ibrahim Ayirebo, a motor mechanic; Bright Dorkanu, a driver’s mate; and Stanley Akorli, a driver, have been charged with conspiracy to rob and robbery.
They pleaded not guilty before the court, presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh.

Mounting the witness box, Ms Hellen Asante, the complainant, said the indiscriminate shooting by the accused persons compelled her to show them where she had hidden her money.

Led in evidence by Chief Inspector Kofi Adu, Ms Asante said on December 12, last year, at 9pm, she was standing in front of her shop when a taxi came to stop by, with the accused as occupants. According to her, the occupants of the taxi waited for some time before getting out of the vehicle.

The first prosecution witness said Amegashie, who was dressed in his police uniform, came out of the vehicle with a rifle. According to her, Ayirebo also alighted from the taxi while the rest remained in the vehicle.

The witness said when the two accused alighted from the vehicle, she thought it was some policemen who were on patrol in the area, adding that sometimes some of policemen come to her shop to buy water or drinks.

Ms Asante said Amegashie suddenly started firing warning shots and further instructed her to enter her shop.
She said Ayirebo, Dorkanu and Akorli then followed her into the shop.

“When we entered the shop, [the] accused ordered me to bring the money, and I showed them three different boxes. The accused, however, did not find money in any of the boxes.

“The indiscriminate warning shots compelled me to show them the container in which the money had been deposited.”
Ms Asante said soon after the accused had taken the money, they bolted.

Answering questions under cross-examination, conducted by Mr Paul Asibi Abarigah, defence counsel for the accused, Ms Asante admitted that Amegashie had never stopped at her shop to buy water or drink before.

The witness further admitted that she had never seen Amegashie until the day the incident occurred.

Ms Asante said the accused persons did not wear masks so when she first saw them, she thought they were coming to buy from her.
The facts presented by prosecution indicated that the complainant, Hellen Asante, is a trader operating a provisions store around the Nungua Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).

Prosecution said Amegashie was stationed at Tema Regional SWAT Unit; Ayirebo resides at Tema Community One; Dorkanu also resides at Ashiaman while Akorli lives at Tema Gulf City.

The prosecution said on December 12, this year, at about 9pm, the four accused person planned to go on a robbery spree.

Prosecution said Amegashie, who was detailed for a guard duty at Glotee Ghana, abandoned his post, being in possession of his AK47 rifle, plus 20 rounds of ammunitions.

Prosecution said Ayirebo also armed himself with a pistol.
According to the prosecution, the two boarded a taxi with registration number GX 9514-13, driven by Akorli, and proceeded to the complainant’s shop at Nungua.

Prosecution said Amegashie, Ayirebo and Dorkanu alighted from the vehicle and entered the complainant’s shop amidst sporadic gunfire and robbed her of GH¢45,000 and $1,000.

After the act, the accused boarded their vehicle and sped off to Tema. The complainant reported incident to the police.
The prosecution said Ayirebo, Dorkanu and Akorli were nabbed at the Community 18 Abattoir Police checkpoint, and GH¢19,500 and $600 were retrieved from them.

Amegashie, the prosecution said, managed to escape with his AK47 rifle and spent the night at Tema Motorway roundabout. He returned his rifle the following day.

Prosecution said Amegashie was arrested at Tsopoli Police Barrier. The accused persons have been remanded into police custody to reappear on February 9.