Two brothers in court for GH₵120k-car theft denied bail

Two brothers, charged with robbery and assault, have been denied bail by the Accra Circuit Court.

The court presided over by Emmanuel Essandoh, turned down the bail application from the lawyer of the siblings.

“You won’t get bail at this time. Don’t even say anything,” Judge Essandoh said when the brothers’ lawyer, John Agbotey, tried to make a case for bail.

The duo– Benjamin Essel and Kwame Boanor–have been accused of stealing a Toyota RAV4  worth GH₵120, 000.

The prosecutor, Chief Inspector William Boateng, prayed for the court to remand the two brothers.

He told the court that one of the brothers [Benjamin Essel] had been a subject of a bench warrant for years.

They have both pleaded not guilty to the two charges. They are to reappear on August 26, 2020.

The facts of the case, according to Chief Inspector Boateng, were that the complainant is one Patrick Adu, a driver and a resident of Nyamekye Junction.

While the accused persons, Benjamin Essel, 27 and Kwame Boanor, 40 are brothers.

The accused persons are a barber and farmer, respectively.

The first accused person [Benjamin Essel] is a resident at Asofan while Boanor lives at Santor near Ashaiman.

On February 22, this year, the accused persons and one Ken now at large called the complainant on the telephone with Airtel/Tigo number 0274596830 to express interest in his Toyota RAV4, which was for sale.

According to the prosecutor, the accused persons lured the complainant to meet them around the Fiesta Royal Hotel at Dzorwulu Traffic Light for the transaction and test drive.

In the course of the test drive, the second accused person [Kwame Boanor] changed from the other side to take over to drive.

In the course of the switch, the complainant was about boarding from the other side of the vehicle when the accused persons sped off. The complainant fell from the vehicle into a nearby gutter.

Chief Inspector Boateng told the court that, “the complainant shouted for help but to no avail. So he came to report the case at the Airport Police Station.”

On August 1, while the complainant was following up on his case at the Airport Police Station, he spotted  Kwame Boanor at the CID office and identified him to the police as the one who robbed him of his Toyota RAV4.

The prosecution lead said, “during investigations, the accused persons partially denied the offence, but later admitted and both stated further to have handed over the RAV4 to one Ken at his residence at Ameriya near Pokuase.”

But he said “when Benjamin Essel led the police to the said location, the accused persons claim proved false.

The two accused persons alleged that Ken did the communication and they carried out the operation.

After investigation, the accused persons were then charged with the offence– robbery and assault.