Policeman, journalist and lecturer remanded over alleged robbery

An Accra Circuit Court has remanded a policeman, freelance journalist, and a lecturer into police custody for one week over an alleged robbery.

The accused persons are alleged to have jointly robbed some Indian businessmen of GH¢700,000.00, $56,450.00, one iPhone 13, one iPhone 12 pro max, one iPhone 11, two iPhone 7, one Infinix phone, an Hp laptop, a Dell laptop and four Indian passports.

The accused persons are Madam Helena Teye, a freelance journalist, Mr Abednego Bortier, a police officer, Mr Francis Omari, a lecturer and one Elizabeth Teye, who is at large.

The prosecution, led by Police Inspector Ebenezer Teye-Okuffo, told the Court that four Indian passports, laptops, six mobile phones and cash of GH¢595,665.00 and $45,140.00 were retrieved after their arrest.

The Court did not take their pleas and adjourned the case to August 3, 2023.

The trial judge also ordered that the items retrieved should be released to the complainants.

The prosecution told the Court that the complainants were Girish Sachwani, Manish Kumar, Bhosale Vijau Kantilal, and Lalwani Sunil Kumar, all Indian businessmen, and residents of Osu.

It said the accused persons – Teye, was a freelance journalist, Bortier, a police officer stationed at the Nima Police Station and Mr Omari was a tutor at IPMC in Accra.

It said on July 19, 2023, the complainants were at their home in Osu, when the police officer dressed in a police uniform, together with the other accused persons, knocked on their door and introduced themselves as a Special Investigation team and that they were to investigate an illegal activity their intelligence gathered, allegedly.

The prosecution said the accused persons then handcuffed the complainants, ransacked their rooms, and with threats and intimidation robbed them of the items aforementioned.

Prosecutors also said the accused police officer was tracked and identified as the officer in uniform during the robbery and arrested.

During interrogation, he confessed to the crime, and led the police to his house at Dzorwulu and a sum of GH¢185,105.00 and $22,500.00 were retrieved.

It said investigations led to the arrest of the journalist at Legon Gardens on July 22, 2023, and upon interrogation, she told the investigation team that the complainants were engaging in money laundering, which resulted in their action.

It said the team subsequently took her to her house at Lakeside, near Madina, and during a search of her room, GH₵63,800.00 cash was found.

The prosecution said she allegedly told the team that, the money found in her room was what she got as her share of the booty.

It said upon persistent interrogation, she confessed that she took part of the money to her friend at Teshie when she heard of the arrest of the police officer.

The prosecution said the journalist then led the police team to the said friend at Teshie to retrieve GH¢242,100.00 and $18,640.00.

It said the lecturer was also tracked and arrested at Osu near Danquah Circle and upon his arrest, he confessed to the crime and led the team to his house at Amasaman-Fise where GH¢64.920.00 and $2,000.00 were retrieved.

On July 23, 2023, the accused persons led the police to the crime scene and demonstrated how they succeeded in robbing the complainants the court was told. 

The prosecution said during the robbery, the accused persons filmed the act and the said videos were retrieved from the laptop of the journalist.

It said accused persons after the act, went to a private residence of the accused police opfficer at La and shared the booty.

The team retrieved a total amount of GH¢595,665.00 and $45,140.00 from the accused persons and retained them as exhibits in court.