Four police officers hauled before an Accra Circuit Court for their individual roles in recent bullion van attacks have been remanded.
Together with one civilian, the cops are to answer to charges of an attempt to commit a crime, robbery and abetment.
The plea of the four – Constable Yaro Afisu Ibrahim, Constable Albert Ofosu, Constable Richard Boadu and Constable Rabiu Jambedu – were not taken.
One other suspect, Razak Alhassan alias Zak, who is said to be a scrap dealer was also charged.
They were denied bail, pending further investigations.
Apart from Constable Albert Ofosu, who a lawyer, Eric Ansah, represented, the remaining four were not represented.
The facts of the case as presented to the court by DSP Slyvester Asare were that the first four are police officers while the fifth is a scrap dealer.
Sometime in 2021, the Ghana Police Service recorded a series of street robberies as well as attacks on bullion vans.
Following the recent robberies, the service mounted surveillance on the suspected robbers undertaking these unlawful activities within the capital.
On 22 February 2022, the police received a report of an attack on a bullion van with registration number GN 424-14 at North Kaneshie, a suburb of Accra by some gunmen.
The police launched an investigation into the alleged robbery which led to the arrest of Constable Reindolph Gyimah Ansah also known as Pablo [deceased] who admitted the offence during interrogation.
“Further enquiries led to the arrest of Lance Corporal [L/Cpl.] Stephen Nyame [also deceased] and the accused persons herein,” the prosecution said.
Per the facts, “the accused persons, during interrogation, admitted taking part in the multiple bullion van robberies recorded in the Greater Accra Region, including the robbery which took place in February 2021 at Kingsway opposite the Freemason Society, Baatsona- Spintex road in March 2021, Jamestown-Adedemkpo incident in June 2021 which led to the untimely death of Police Constable Emmanuel Osei.”
DSP Asare said, during the investigation the late Lance Corporal Stephen Nyame and Constable Reindolph Gyimah Ansah mentioned two Nigerians, including Omor Naija, as accomplices, currently on the run and that some of the weapons used in the robberies were with their Nigerian accomplices around Ashaiman.
On 6 March 2022, the late L/Cpl. Stephen Nyame and Constable Reindolph Gyimah Ansah alias Pablo led the police to a suburb of Ashaiman to apprehend the said two Nigerians.
The Ashaiman operation or raid resulted in an exchange of gunshots which later led to the deaths of the two officers, the prosecutor narrated.
The case has been adjourned to 28 March 2022.