Two persons are standing trial before the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly robbing a vehicle containing 1,200 bags of 25-kilogrammes rice worth GH¢154,000 from the owner at gun point at Kwashieman in Accra.
Sakibu Abdullai (a driver) and Christopher Kwasi Sellasi (unemployed), together with three other accomplices who are currently at large, are said to have also posed as National Security Operatives and they attacked their victims for not going through the Axle-load machine at Tema Motorway.
Abdullai and Sellasi pleaded guilty to the offences of conspiracy to commit a crime and robbery before the court, presided over by Mr Francis Obiri.
Another accused person, Rafatu Najib (alias Hajia Rafa), who was also charged with the offence of dishonestly receiving by the court, was granted a bail in the sum of GH¢50,000 with three sureties, one of whom must be a public servant.
Hajia Rafa is said to have received 150 bags of the stolen rice valued GH¢84,000.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Chief Inspector of Police Mr Emmanuel Afful, had prayed the court to refuse the bail application of the accused persons on the grounds that they might interfere in ongoing investigations.
The court remanded the two accused persons into police custody to reappear on October 17, 2014.
Mr Afful told the court that the complainants were businessmen who were the owners of the vehicle.
He said on March 19, 2014, at about 10 p.m., the victims loaded their truck with 1,200 bags of 25-kg rice and set out towards Assin Fosu in the Central Region.
On reaching the N1 Highway, just after the Kwashieman traffic light, the accused persons crossed the complainants’ vehicle with a private car, pointed pistols at them and ordered them to stop.
He said the accused persons introduced themselves to the complainants as National Security Operatives and arrested them for failing to go through the axle-load machine on the Tema Motorway.
He said the accused persons left two of their accomplices who are currently at large under the pretext of safe-guarding the truck while Abdullai and Sellasi drove them towards the Tema Motorway.
On reaching a section of the road, the prosecution said Abdullai and Sellasi forcibly collected GH¢100 from the complainants and abandoned them.
Later the victims went back to where they were attacked only to realise that their loaded truck was not there.
Mr Afful said the victims lodged a complaint at the Odorkor Police Station and through investigation, it was revealed that Abdullai and Sellasi sold the rice to one Alhaji Shaibu and Hajia Rafa at Kasoa and they were also using the vehicle for commercial purposes.
On May 17, 2014, the prosecution said the police grabbed Abdullai with the vehicle at Atimpoku and through interrogation, he mentioned Sellasi and the two others at large as his accomplices.
Source: Daily Graphic
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