Court adjourns case of national security operative, policeman and others in alleged GH¢2.7m gold robbery
An Accra Circuit Court has adjourned to March 2, 2023, the case in which a National Security operative, a police officer and two others have been accused of robbing 5 kilogrammes of gold worth GH¢2.7 million.
The accused persons are Kelvin Prince Boakye, aka Don King, the National security operative, Felix Teye, a police officer, Joy Kwame Gene aka George ABC, and George Essando aka Aaron, both businessmen.
The four have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime and robbery.
Boakye and Teye have been jointly charged with robbery.
Boakye is facing an additional charge of possession of firearms without lawful authority.
They have denied the various charges and they are on bail.
When the matter was called on Thursday, Teye was absent and the prosecution led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Maxwell Oppong prayed the court for a bench warrant for his arrest.
The court presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah however declined the invitation of issuing a bench warrant and adjourned the matter.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Maxwell Oppong told the Court that the complainant whose name was withheld was the manageress of Waahid Gold Company Limited, Tesano.
It said the company dealt in gold and that the Managing Director, Mohammed Ko Chan Tha, was domiciled in Dubai.
The prosecution said Boakye, the first accused person, claimed he was a national security personnel residing at Sowutuom, Accra. Felix Teye, the police officer resides at Oyarifa near Accra
According to the prosecution, the third accused person, George Gene, resides at Asofan, near Ofankor and George Essando, the fourth accused person and owner of the SSL Refinery, resides at Westland.
The prosecution told the court that on Saturday, November 5, 2022, the complainant and other workers, who were witnesses in the case, went to buy 5kg of gold from the accused person’s accomplices at the cost of GH¢2.731, 138.
It said the gold was taken to SSL Refinery at Kotoka International Airport Terminal two for testing.
The consignment was confirmed to be pure gold after testing.
It said Boakye’s accomplices who were yet to be arrested lured the complainant to escort them to Accra Mall with the money.
On their way, the prosecution said the complainant called the Managing Director and one Emmanuel Amuzu, a worker who was with the gold at the refinery to inform them that she had handed over the money to the accused person’s accomplices.
It said suddenly, Boakye, Teye and two others yet to be arrested armed with an AK47 rifle went into the refinery and took the Managing Director, Mohammed Ko Chan Tha, Emmanuel Amuzu and other witnesses hostage, beat them and robbed them of the 5kg gold.
The prosecutor said the CCTV installed at the refinery captured Boakye and Teye and other accomplices in the act.
It said the accused persons escaped and went into hiding after the robbery.
On November 18, this year, Boakye was arrested at Awoshie.
The prosecution said when Boakye was searched, an unregistered Bruni pistol with one round of 9mm ammunition and a Gotta handset were retrieved from him.
It said when Boakye’s residence at Sowutuom was searched, two rounds of 9mm ammunition, two bulletproof vests, one ballistic helmet, two stunt guns and one pepper spray were found.
During interrogations, Boakye mentioned Gene as the one who called him at the Airport Shell Filling Station to plan with other accomplices to rob the complainant of his gold.
The prosecution said Gene escorted them to the parking lot of SSL Refinery before they undertook the operation.
It said Gene also mentioned Essando as the one who planned and provided his office for the robbery to take place.
The prosecution said after the act, Essando received his share of the proceeds from the robbery. On November 29, 2022, Gene was tracked and arrested at Asofan.
It said on November 30, 2022, Essando and Teye were also arrested by the Police.
The prosecution said efforts were underway to arrest other accomplices.
Source: GNA