Accra, Aug. 20, GNA – An Accra Circuit Court has remanded a 49-year-old man into custody over an alleged attempted robbery at a GCB Bank branch at Labone.
Augustine Okechuku Maazi, an unemployed man, has pleaded not guilty to eight counts of conspiracy to commit crime to wit robbery, attempted robbery and robbery.
The prosecution told the court that police investigations had linked Maazi and five other suspects to a series of alleged robberies between May and Aug. 13, 2026, in Tema, Spintex and Labone.
It said the group had also allegedly operated in Togo and Côte d’Ivoire, while two suspected accomplices died during the Aug. 13 attempted robbery at Labone.
The trial Judge, Mr Jojo Amoah Hagan, declined a bail application filed by Maazi’s counsel, citing the nature of the charges and the failure of the defence to satisfy the court that the accused had a fixed place of abode within the jurisdiction.
Defence counsel had urged the court to grant Maazi bail, arguing that the case was based on allegations which the prosecution was required to prove beyond reasonable doubt.
“The allegations remains unproven. The facts presented do not support charges and same is glaring on the charge sheet.”
Counsel said Maazi could produce sureties resident within the jurisdiction and had a fixed place of abode, urging the court to consider the period he had spent in custody.
The prosecution opposed the application, saying investigations were ongoing and Maazi could interfere with them because some of his alleged accomplices were still at large.
It also argued that Maazi had no fixed place of abode because he was residing in a hotel.
“The fact that the accused person reside in a hotel indicated that he is flight risk,” the prosecutor said.
The prosecution said the Police intended to expedite the trial.
The facts presented to the court identified the complainants as Mr Emmanuel Kweku Archer, a businessman, and the Ghana Police Service.
The prosecution said the Office of the Special Operations Assistant to the Inspector-General of Police had received complaints about suspected armed robbery syndicates targeting customers of banks in the Greater Accra Metropolis.
It said surveillance was subsequently mounted on suspected members of the syndicates operating around banks in the Greater Accra and Tema Metropolises.
The prosecution said information received on June 9 and June 11, 2026, indicated that suspected robbery syndicates had operated at Zenith Bank and Fidelity Bank, respectively, at Spintex.
The suspects were captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage using a Toyota Highlander and a Hyundai Tucson.
Police investigations indicated that the suspects allegedly monitored bank customers, used master keys to open their vehicles and, in some instances, broke into the vehicles.
The prosecution said two alleged members of the group, identified as Harrison Chinedu and Dan, were armed with pistols.
It said on May 17, 2026, the suspects allegedly trailed a woman who had withdrawn GH¢50,000 from the Republic Bank, Tema Branch, and robbed her at gunpoint at Agbamaame in Tema Community Two.
On June 11, 2026, the group allegedly attacked a man who had withdrawn an unspecified amount of money from the Republic Bank, Achimota Branch, while he was on his way home.
The prosecution said the group usually operated during banking hours in the Accra and Tema Metropolises.
It said on Aug. 13, 2026, at about 1045 hours, the surveillance team received information that the suspected group had been seen at Ecobank, Spintex Branch, and was heading towards Labone and Cantonments.
The team monitored the suspects, who were travelling in a black Hyundai Tucson, registration number GS 7915-19, and an ash Toyota Highlander, registration number GS 1434-18.
The prosecution said Maazi, who was in the Toyota Highlander, positioned himself between Zenith Bank, Labone, and GCB Bank, Labone Branch, to monitor the two banks, while the occupants of the Hyundai Tucson positioned themselves at Ecobank, Labone Branch.
The surveillance team intercepted the Hyundai Tucson at Fidelity Bank, Labone, and arrested its driver, while another occupant escaped.
The prosecution said the occupants of the Toyota Highlander, on sensing danger, sped off while firing at the Police.
The Police pursued them from Zenith Bank, Labone, through Metro TV, Morning Star, the Togo Embassy, the Ghana Immigration Service and the American Embassy, to a section of the road about 30 metres from GCB Bank and Zenith Bank at Labone.
The prosecution said an exchange of gunfire followed, during which two of the suspects were hit and lost control of the vehicle, which collided with several vehicles, including two unmarked Police vehicles.
The two suspects were taken to the Police Hospital for treatment but were pronounced dead on arrival.
A search of the Toyota Highlander led to the recovery of two vehicle registration number plates, GR 3040-22 and GS 3588-23, and a Blow F90 pistol.
Preliminary investigations indicated that Maazi and his alleged accomplices brought Nigerian vehicles into Ghana and replaced the foreign registration number plates with Ghanaian ones to facilitate their alleged criminal activities.
Investigations also indicated that the group allegedly operated in neighbouring Togo and Côte d’Ivoire.
The prosecution said efforts were ongoing to arrest the other suspects at large.
The case has been adjourned to Sept. 2, 2026.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Reporter: Joyce Danso
[email protected]