You are here: HomeNews2004 07 30Article 62936

Crime & Punishment of Friday, 30 July 2004

Source: GNA

Court remands robbery suspect in custody

Aflao, July 30, GNA - A 20-year-old driver's mate, believed to be among a group of six armed men who robbed an Aflao-based Imam, Mohammed Shaka, of over 13 million cedis and other valuables on July 24, has been remanded by a circuit court.

The plea of Ali Ibrahim, who was once an errand boy of the Imam but was sacked, was not taken and he is to reappear on August 18.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Kofi Frimpong told the court that at midnight on July 24 the accused and six others now at large, wearing masks and armed with locally made pistols, entered and attacked the Imam and his errand boy, Ibrahim Ziga.

The accused persons hit them repeatedly on the head with batons, tied them up and threatened to kill them.

They 'cleaned' the Imam's store, ransacked his room and stole over 13 million cedis and two radio cassette players.

The prosecution said the police arrested Ibrahim and when they searched his room, spare keys to the mosque, the storeroom and the living room of the Imam were found.

Inspector Frimpong said Ibrahim admitted stealing the keys at the time of his dismissal by the Imam and mentioned one Osmanu as having told him about plans to rob the Imam.