Kwabenya Police ‘Killers’ Charged

Two of the three suspects who escaped from the Kwabenya District Police Station in Accra while in custody have been convicted by an Accra Circuit Court.

They are Prince Osei, 25, aka Bebe, Scrap Dealer and Atta Kwadwo, 20 driver’s mate.

The third accomplice- Kofi Darko, aka Kofi Duku, 25, trader, believed to have also escaped from police custody has denied any wrong doing.

The trio together with others escaped from police grips when some armed men attacked the Kwabenya Police Station killing a police officer-Emmanuel Ashilivi in the process.

The three had been dragged before the court alongside nine other persons believed to have aided them to escape from the police cells.

They are: Nancy Denta, 25, aka Awura Ama, trader; George Yeboah, 30, aka Akwesi Shower, Electrician; Prince Kofi Acheampong, aka Nana Owuo, 32, herbalist; Edward Lartey, 20, herbalist and Kofi Seshie, 28, driver.

The rest are George Sarbah, 23, driver; Elvis Owusu, 31, waiter; George Asante, 33, trader and Theophilius Bandah, 25.

Charges

It is the case of the prosecutor, Supt. K. Benpah that the nine, on January 21 this year at Kwabenya, did instigate and abet the three paddies to escape from lawful custody.

But appearing in the court presided over by Aboagye Tandoh, the nine speaking various Ghanaian languages denied the charge of abetting to escape from lawful custody and were remanded into police custody until February 13.

Earlier, the judge had asked lawyers for the accused persons seeking bail to do so formally.

The judge said the prosecution must also take the necessary steps in respect of some two other charges Bebe, Kwadwo and Kofi Duku did not plead.

The court said the prosecution must seek the consent of the Attorney-General (A-G), if necessary.

Facts

The facts of the case are that on January 21, at about 1 am a gang of armed men numbering about six planned to attack the police station and free their colleagues who were held in detention for various violent crimes they were involved in within the country.

To execute their plan, they proceed to the police station and two of them pretended they had a complaint to lodge, entered the charge office and told the counter NCO that someone borrowed money from them and refused to pay back.

The counter NCO advised them to institute a civil action again the said persons because the case was a civil case but the two gangsters turned and signaled the rest of the gang who had laid ambush within the station.

They then attacked the police men at the station leading to the death of the aforementioned police officer and held the others hostage.

The gang took the key to the cells, released the seven inmates and bolted.

The police officer then arranged for an ambulance to convey Inspector Ashilevi to the police hospital and later to the 37 Military hospital where he died on arrival.

Police intelligence led to the arrest of Akwesi Shower who assisted Bebe and Kwadwo with GH¢ 200 to escape out of the jurisdiction.

Awura Ama also gave GH¢40 to Kofu Duku to enable him run out of the jurisdiction but on January 23 Police intelligence led to the arrest of Bebe and Kwadwo at Worawora in the Volta Region.

Plot

Investigation revealed that whiles in the detention on January 18, Bebe overhead other inmates Chibuzor Akwuba, Dickson Ofori and Rockson Edem @ Herbalist, all at large, planning to escape.

In the evening Awura Ama brought a mobile phone to Dickson Ofori in the cells and he used same to contact his people outside to execute the plan.

Rockson Edem Dzigbede’s brother brought a hacksaw blade to him by hiding it in bread to cut the padlock to the cells but the hacksaw blade could not cut the padlocks.

On interrogation the Bebe stated that he stole his gun from Nana Owuo who also revealed that Dickson Ofori and Chibuzor Akwuba are the boys whom he normally sends out robbery expedition.

Further investigation revealed that it was Nana Owuo in collaboration with Dickson Ofori and Chibuzor who sent the armed men to attack and release them from the cells.

By: Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson/ thePublisher