Judge’s ‘Robbery-Suspects’ Petition AG

Attorneys of four young men dragged before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly robbing three people, including Justice Araba Esaaba Torkornu, a Court of Appeal judge have petitioned the Attorney-General (A-G) over what they describe as unfair and unjustifiable prosecution of their clients.

According to the lawyers of the suspects- Derrick Danso, Dickson Addai, aka Jah Rule; Prince Owusu aka Owusu and Gbekpor Marvin, aka Lion, the A-G must intervene in trial.

The accused persons are reported to have on December 8, 2016, between Baatsona and Anyaa – both suburbs of Accra – reportedly conspired to rob the complainants.

Charges

According to the prosecution, the accused persons at Anyaa on the same day, snatched the judge’s Toyota Fortuner with registration number GM 6852-13, an Apple Macbook laptop worth $1,300; Iphone valued at GH¢600; GH¢900 cash; $50 and three Bibles.

The police prosecution claims the accused persons wielding cutlasses and pump action guns, also robbed Francis Kofi Torkornu, husband of the judge, of his 11 Zambian Kwatcha, a Delta Sky Miles membership card, one NACOB staff ID Card and $50.

Also at Anyaa, the suspects reportedly robbed one Anthony Kodua Bediako, a businessman, of his Hyundai Santafe 4X4 vehicle, Huawei mobile phone and GH¢350 cash.

In the case of Patience Hammond, a trader – the last victim – the prosecutor said the accused persons robbed her of her jewelries worth GH¢5,000, five assorted mobile phones, a flat screen television set and GH¢5,000 cash.

Petition

But the petition signed by one Dr. Emmanuel Maurice Ankrah of Kuukua Legal Consulting, noted that their clients were wrongfully accused of robbing a judge.

The petition further claimed that the actual robbers were arrested by the police, and upon interrogation, said those who were picked up earlier had nothing to do with the said robbery, therefor should be freed.

In spite of the turn of events, the petitioners insist the prosecution keeps the earlier suspects in custody, thereby breaching their fundamental human rights.

It said: “Our clients were arrested together with the two other accused persons sometime in January 2017 on the charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery without any justifiable reasons. They were alleged to have robbed vehicles and other valuables belonging to Justice Gertrude Araba Torkonoo, Francis Torkonoo, Anthony Koduah Bediako and Patience Hammond on 8 December 2016.”

It noted that “because of the manner in which the prosecution was conducting the case, the father of our clients wrote a petition dated 16 October 2017 to the Attorney General’s office laying down the unfair manner in which our clients were being treated.”

The petitioners alleged that the A-G’s office in a letter dated 15 November 2017 to the police directed the police to send the docket to the AG’s office for review but the officers conducting the case have refused to do so.

“Subsequently, sometime in December 2017 two individuals, namely: Kweku Boahin and one Alomatu aka Tilapia, were arrested in Akwatia by the Legon police led by one Inspector Brako for attempting to sell a stolen Honda CRV. Upon interrogation by the Greater Accra Regional CID, DSP Ahiamadi and Chief Inspector Odame, the two suspects admitted to being the masterminds of a series of robberies in Accra and mentioned one Isaac Agyeman, alias Batman as an accomplice.

The lawyer of the accused persons argued that upon further interrogation they admitted that they committed the robbery of the items belonging to Justice Torkonoo, Francis Torkonoo, Anthony Koduah Bediako and Patience Hammond.

The petitioners further held that Tilapia confessed that batman’s girlfriend attends the same church with Justice Torkonoo and it was her who provided them with all the information they needed to successfully rob the judge after which they proceeded to rob the other victims that same night.

The accused person’s lawyer among others contended that after robbing the victims, tilapia added that they gave the cars to one Nene Kwadwo Tetteh aka chairman who also resprayed the cars for onward sale to unsuspecting persons claiming that the said Nene Kwadwo Tetteh and another accomplice Nana Ackaah were arrested by the police and charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery and having possession of stolen property, a case currently pending before his Honour Aboagye Tandoh.

By: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson