One of the suspected four armed robbers who posed as National Security agents to seize a vehicle carrying 1,200 bags of rice, valued at GHC 840,000, on the Tema Motorway has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.

Sakibu Abudlai, and three accomplices, now at large, were said to have conspired and robbed the Jasmine perfumed branded rice bagged in 25-kilogramme sacks.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was, however, remanded by the Court, presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandor, to reappear on October 30.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector E. Afful told the court that James Akwasi Atta, the truck driver, was driving from the Tema Port to Assin Fosu in the Central Region with the goods.

He said on reaching the Tema Motorway, the accused person, with his accomplices, stopped the truck and two of them escorted the driver and his mate at gun point into another car, while their other accomplices remained with the truck carrying the rice.

The alleged robbers claimed they were national security agents and that they were driving the truck to the toll both to check their axle load.
The prosecution told the court that on their way, the driver and his mate were robbed of GHC 100 and other personal belongings and then abandoned near the toll booth at Tema.

He said James and his mate, realising that they had been deceived, boarded a vehicle to where they had parked the truck, but when they got to the scene, they noticed that the truck, with James’s driver’s license and other personal belongings, had been taken away.

He said James reported the incident to the Odorkor Police and after two months of investigation he was invited to identify the suspects and the vehicle at the Police Station.

Police Chief Inspector Afful said the complainant identified Sakibu Abudlai and one Christopher Selasi, as part of the gang , which stole the truck load of rice.
He said Christopher was at large, having been granted bail earlier.

The truck that was originally registered as ER 4283 – C but had been changed to AS 423 F and its colour changed from white, black and green into; green, white and red, the prosecution stated.