FOUR MORE suspects have been hauled to an Accra Circuit Court in connection with the recent Accra Shopping Mall Ecobank robbery.
Alando Ajeopo, a security man, Rabiu Baba Alhassan (at large), Mohammed Awudu, a tailor and Mohammed Sadique also a tailor, who are believed to have robbed the bank together, were arraigned on Wednesday.
Last month, Francis Agbemade and Kofi Yeboah, two security men working at the mall were arraigned for negligence leading to the robbery.
In a court presided over by Eric Kyei Baffuor, the accused persons Agbemade, Yeboah, Ajeopo, and Awudu were charged with conspiracy and robbery while Sadique was charged with abetment of crime.
They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges and have been remanded in police custody to re-appear on August 31, 2011.
Presenting the facts of the case, the prosecuting officer, DSP Kofi Blagodzi told the court that on July 17, 2011, a group of armed robbers attacked the Ecobank located at the Accra Shopping Mall and took away GH¢110,306, $48,632, €5,250 and £45,00 cash.
He said Agbemade of G4 Security and Yeboah of Westec Security who were on duty at the car park conspired and assisted Awudu and Sadique to execute their diabolical act.
According to him, Ajeopo also from G4 Security attached to the Stanbic Bank at the mall, conspired with Baba Alhassan (now at large) and provided all the necessary information and security tips related to the bank. He said, Ajeopo continues to give information to the robbers on the state of affairs at the mall following the robbery.
The prosecutor noted that police intelligence information led to the arrest of Ajeopo who during interrogation confessed to the police that he planned the robbery with his friend Baba Hassan who in turn recruited Awudu and Sadique who helped them plan the operation successfully.
Furthermore, he noted that Awudu assisted Baba Hassan and they together held Yeboah hostage while Baba marched the security guard at gunpoint to the banking hall and held everybody there hostage after ordering them to lie on the floor or be shot.
Explaining further, the police officer observed that Hassan then rushed on a witness in the case with the gun and collected the above mentioned sums of money which was in his custody.
In addition DSP Blagodzi stated that while Hassan was busily collecting the money, Awudu stood guard with his pistol at the entrance to ward off any intruder.
The prosecutor noted that after the robbery, Sadique who was on a yellow unregistered motor bike picked up Hassan and Awudu on his motorbike and fled.
He noted that investigations are still continuing.
Agbemade and Yeboah were arrested last month after they were believed to have conspired to loosen security around the bank area leading to the robbery by three masked men.
Presenting the facts of the case, at the last hearing DSP Kofi Blagodzi told the court that on July 21 2010, a group of three armed men stormed Ecobank Accra at the Shopping Mall.
He said they and succeeded in stealing at gunpoint an amount of $48,000, £9,000 and GH¢195,233.81.
The prosecutor noted that the three robbers with their booty managed to bolt with the assistance of the accused persons.
He said the movement of the robbers and the security men were captured on a Close Circuit Camera hence their arrest.
He also stated that frantic efforts are in progress to capture the robbers.
Source: Daily Guide Ghana
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