Policeman, five others to stand trial for robbery

Cape Coast, July 4, GNA - Armah Schandorf, the police constable stationed at Anomabu who allegedly led five people to rob the Anomabu Beach Resort, was on Thursday committed to stand trial at a Cape Coast High court on July 10. Mr Matthew Mensah, the cashier, was killed in the robbery. Samuel Ghartey, Emmanuel Oduro a driver and security officer respectively at the beach resort and Kwadwo Addai, Kwesi Fosu and Daniel Owusu were in the dock with him.

The prosecutor, Inspector Hope Azasoo told the court that on April 28 the late Mr Mensah was travelling to Cape Coast on the resort's vehicle to deposit money at the bank when armed robbers attacked him. He said Ghartey and Oduro hatched the plan, contacted Schandorf, who in turn sought Addai, Fosu and Owusu's assistance. Ghartey, who was driving the vehicle, abruptly stopped in the middle of the road and his accomplices emerged from the bush and attacked Mr. Mensah. They threw pepper into his eyes and the policeman who was wearing a mask shot him twice in the chest with an AK 47 rifle.

Mr Azasoo said 9.8 million cedis Mr Mensah was carrying in a polythene bag scattered in the vehicle and his blood drenched the notes. He said with Mr Mensah's body still in the vehicle Ghartey drove to Waakrom junction near Anomabu where Schandorf and the others alighted. Ghartey drove to the Moree barrier to report that he and the cashier had been robbed. Policemen at the barrier accompanied them to the Central Regional Hospital where the body was deposited and a complaint was lodged at the police station.

The prosecutor said following a tip off the police searched Schandorf's premises and retrieved more than 300,000 cedis of the money from his boots and the pocket of his uniform. He said further investigations revealed that Schandorf stole the gun when he was a recruit at the police training school.