Court discharges Policeman, two others over robbery and murder of taxi driver
An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday discharged General Lance Corporal Bright Akosah who allegedly shot and killed a taxi driver at Adjin Kotoku near Accra after robbing him of his vehicle.The court also discharged Ebenezer Tetteh, a trader and Francis Aidoo, a tailor, alleged accomplices of Corporal Akosah.
An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday discharged General Lance Corporal Bright Akosah who allegedly shot and killed a taxi driver at Adjin Kotoku near Accra after robbing him of his vehicle.The court also discharged Ebenezer Tetteh, a trader and Francis Aidoo, a tailor, alleged accomplices of Corporal Akosah.
The accused were facing charges of conspiracy to rob and robbery. They however denied the offence.
The accused persons were discharged after Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Fuseini Yakubu had told the court that the Police had completed investigations and they had consolidated the case dockets of the accused.
ASP Yakubu further stated that the Police is forwarding a duplicate docket to the Attorney-General’s office for the preparation of the bill of indictment on the charges of murder of the 40 year old Samuel Tawiah, conspiracy and robbery.
According to him, the charge of murder constituted an indictable offence.
He said the accused have already been put before a District Court following the murder charge.
ASP Yakubu therefore prayed the Circuit Court to discharge the accused persons.
The court presided over by Mrs. Evelyn Asamoah granted Prosecution’s prayers and discharged them accordingly.
The facts, as narrated earlier by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Fuseine Yakubu, was that the deceased, Samuel Tawiah, is a resident of Afuaman, near Pokuase in Accra.
ASP Yakubu said Akosah is a Police officer with the Police SWAT Unit at the Regional Police Headquarters in Accra.
Tetteh also resides at Agbogboloshie and Aidoo, a tailor, lives at Cape Coast.
He said on September 12, last year, Akosah and Tetteh went to Adjin Kotoku and its environs to survey areas where their victims could easily be robbed.
He said the following day Akosah, dressed in his Police uniform, and armed with his pistol, instructed Tetteh to proceed to Adjin Kotoku to lay ambush at a spot they had agreed on.
He said based on that Akosah went to Pokuase Junction to stop a Nissan Versa Taxi with registration; GW 6818-20 and lured the driver, Samuel Tawiah, to drive him to his site at Adjin Kotoku.
Prosecution said Akosah, who sat at the back seat, directed Tawiah to Tetteh’s hideout and gave Tetteh a signal to come out.
The prosecution said sensing danger, Tawiah tried to escape but Akosah pulled his pistol and shot him twice at the back.
He said the two pulled Tawiah out and dumped him in the bush, where Akosah shot him for the third time in the left ear.
ASP Yakubu said Akosah and Tetteh abandoned the deceased in the bush and informed Aidoo that they had succeeded in robbing a taxi cab and asked him to look for buyers for the vehicle, which they drove to Biriwa and parked it there.
He said on September 14, last year, at about 8am, the Anti-armed robbery Unit of the CID, acting on intelligence, feigned interest in the car and therefore negotiated the price with Aidoo for GH¢8,000.00.
Prosecution said Aidoo informed Akosah who agreed on the amount and subsequently asked him to bring the buyers, but Aidoo was arrested in the process and took the Police to Elmina where Akosah was arrested with the Nissan Versa vehicle.
He said the Police also found on him were NP 22 Pistol, one magazine loaded with eight rounds of 9 MM ammunition, one wrap of dried leaves suspected to be narcotic drug, one lighter, iPhone Seven plus, One Itel phone, and a spanner.
A Police ID card, a Voter ID card, and a GCB Visa Card all bearing the name of Bright Akosah were also retrieved.
Prosecution said Akosah admitted the offence of robbery and mentioned Tetteh as his accomplice.
He said on September 16, last year, Akosah led the Police to arrest Tetteh near the Awudome Cemetery who confessed that it was Akosah who shot and killed Tawiah when he tried to snatch his vehicle.
“Akosah confessed killing Tawiah,” prosecution said.
Source: GNA