By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Tuesday, 09 September 2008
THREE Nigerians yesterday made a second appearance before an Accra Circuit Court in connection with the June 23 Madina Ecobank robbery, and the killing of a police guard.
Daniel Pedro, aka Oghenervena, Festus Suleman and Israel Otubu, who are facing two counts of conspiracy and robbery, first appeared before the court on August 26.
Their plea was not taken and they have been remanded in police custody to appear again on September 26.
When the case was called yesterday, police prosecutor Reindorf Agyemang informed the court that the Attorney General’s Department had taken over the prosecution of the case and the new investigator needed more time to study the docket of the case.
ASP Agyeman therefore requested a two-week adjournment but this was opposed by defence counsel Dela Blagodzi who said the move by the prosecution was a calculated attempt to delay the case.
Expressing unhappiness about the turn of events, he said his clients were innocent students who had been arrested by the police. "The real robbers are enjoying somewhere; I am so much passionate about human rights" he said.
Mr Blagodzi said that if indeed his clients were behind the robbery, they would have left the country before their arrest since the amount involved could have taken them out of the country.
The judge Idrissu Mahamadu said he was also much concerned about human rights, but explained that for proper investigation to be carried out, it was prudent that the police was given ample time.
According to the prosecution, at about 9.00 a.m., on June 23, an Ecobank bullion van which was scheduled to convey GH¢60,040 to the Madina-Zongo Junction branch of the bank under escort by Sgt William Kweku Quansah was attacked by five armed men who had positioned themselves at different locations within the bank premises.
The armed men wrestled with the police guard on duty, Constable David Agbosu and took away his AK 47 assault rifle with 10 rounds of ammunition.
During a scuffle between Sgt. Quansah and one of the robbers, a member of the gang who was in a waiting car shot the sergeant from behind and he died later in hospital.
The robbers made away with the money amidst sporadic gunfire during which two passengers in a commercial vehicle were hit.
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