By Joyce Danso
Accra, Sept. 08, GNA – An Accra Circuit Court has for the sixth time and in seven months turned down a bail application by six persons standing trial over a bullion van attack in Accra.
The court presided over by Mrs Patricia Amponsah declined the bail application, awaiting the advice of the Attorney General.
The trial judge therefore adjourned the matter to September 20.
Police Inspector Isaac Babayi who held the brief of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sylvester Asare, told the Court that his instructions were that he was to seek adjournment to enable the substantive prosecutor to appear at the next adjourned date to inform the court on the extent of investigations carried out in the case.
When the matter was called today (Thursday) Defence counsels took turns to pray for bail for their clients.
Lawyers for the accused persons held that it looks as if prosecution was not interested in the case as prosecution seem to bring out excuses all the time.
“However, since the accused persons were in detention, we will repeat our application for bail,” the lawyers argued.
According to defence counsels, their clients had been in custody for the past seven months and the court had also turned down their bail application on five occasions.
The accused persons are: General Constables Yaro Afisu Ibrahim, Albert Ofosu aka “Cypher,” Richard Boadu aka “Osor,” Rabiu Jambedu, Nelson Tetteh and Badu Zakari, all Police recruits as well as Baba Zakari, aka Rasta, a civilian mechanic.
They are facing charges of conspiracy to rob and robbery. The accused persons have denied the various charges. Prosecution has also sent a duplication to the Office the Attorney General for advice
Prosecution’s case was that General Constables Yaro, Fosu, Boadu, Rabiu and Tettey are recruit mates and friend whiles Zakaria is a motor mechanic.
In the year 2021 the Ghana Police Services recorded a series of bullion vans and street robberies within the Greater Accra Region and as such surveillance was mounted.
Prosecution held that on February 22, 2022, a upon a tip off that those armed men attacked a bullion van with registration number GN 424-14 at North Kaneshie, investigation led to the arrest of one Constable Reindolph Gyimah Ansah alias Pablo and Lance Corporal Stephen Nyame both deceased.
It said further investigations led to the arrest of the accused persons.
Prosecution said the Constables, including the deceased officers, after their basic training were posted to the National SWAT Unit, Police headquarters, while Tettey was posted to the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF), Wa.
The Court heard that Yaro, Fosu, Rabiu and Tettey when posted to their respective Units, underwent various tactical and specialised weapon training to equip them for the function of their Units which included escort and protection of Bullion Vans.
Further investigations revealed that in February 2022, accused persons including their deceased colleagues and those at large, agreed, attacked, and attempted robbing Mon-Tran Ghana’s Bullion Van with Registration number GN 424-14.
Prosecution held that accused persons shot the bullet proof van with AK47 Rifles and used Royal motorbikes allegedly belonging to Tettey and same used by accused persons’ accomplices now at large.
It said Boadu’s duty was to monitor the van and feed the gang with information.
GNA