By Joyce Danso
Accra, Dec. 22, GNA- Two persons who killed a taxi driver and stole his Toyota Vitz Taxi with registration number GT 6188- 20 at Ajumako Mando in the Central Region, have appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Ernest Appronti Amanotey aka Divine Otu, a boxer and Evans Amoah, a driver and one Hero aka Fanti are said to have smashed the head of the driver with a cement block and dragged his lifeless body into an uncompleted building in the bush.
Amanotey and Amoah have been jointly charged with conspiracy to commit crime to wit robbery and robbery.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges and the Court presided over by Mr Samuel Bright Acquah remanded them into police custody to assist in investigations.
An Accomplice, whose name was given as Hero aka Fanti is said to be at large
They are expected to reappear on January 5, 2023.
Meanwhile the GNA has learnt that accused persons have been put before a District Court on a charge of murder.
Prosecution led by Chief Inspector Isaac Anquandah said the deceased Bernard Botwey aka Kwame Waya was a taxi driver in charges of Toyota Vitz taxicab with registration number GT 6188-20.
It said the deceased also lived with his family at Ekumfi Essakyir in the Central Region.
Prosecution said the accused, Ernest Appronti Amanotey aka Divine Out, and Evans Amoah together with one other accused whose name was given as Hero aka Fanti, went on a robbery expedition at Ajumako in the Central Region with plans to snatch cars and bring same to Accra to sell.
It said on their way, the accused persons alighted at Ekumfi Essuohyia where they boarded another taxi at a station in Ajumako.
The prosecution said on their way, Hero aka Fanti alighted around Ajumako Mando Senior High School.
It said Appronti and Amoah continued their journey to Ajumako and later they hired the deceased’s taxi from Enyan Abaasa Station back to Ekumfi Essuohyia.
The prosecution told the court that Appronti called Hero on phone and made the deceased talk to him and directed the deceased to bring his accomplices who were on board his car to Ajumako Mando SHS (Senior High School) which the deceased did.
It said when he got to the section of the road where Hero was hiding, Appronti and Amoah ordered him to stop.
Prosecution said immediately the now deceased stopped, Hero emerged from the bush and together with their accomplices attacked him, hit him with a cement block and stripped him naked.
It said the accused persons then tore the deceased yellow shirt he was wearing and used the same to tie both hands at his back and his legs.
Prosecution said after the deceased became unconscious, the accused persons dragged him and dumped his lifeless body to an uncompleted building in the bush and took his taxi away to Accra.
It held that on October 30, 2022, at about 2:00am, the Pokuase Police Patrol team saw Appronti and Amoah in possession of the deceased taxi at Pokuase when the car developed a mechanical fault.
The prosecution narrated that when the Police questioned the accused persons, Amoah told the Police that the taxi belonged to him and that he had forgotten the ignition key in the house.
It said the Police conducted a search in the taxi and discovered that the ignition chamber of the taxi had been tampered with.
The accused persons were nabbed and sent to the Pokuase Police station where they were detained for further investigations.
It said on November 1, 2022, the Pokuase Police had information that the taxi driver was murdered at Ajumako and his taxi taken.
The prosecution said enquiries made by the Police confirmed that the said taxi was the one found with the accused persons.
It said the Police confronted them with the issue and they confirmed having killed the victim, now deceased, and made away with his taxi.
The Prosecution said on November 18, 2022, the accused persons were brought to the Homicide Unit/ CID headquarters for further investigations.
During interrogation, the prosecution said the accused persons admitted the offences.
GNA