Kwabenya escape: Court sets February 18 for judgment

The Accra Circuit Court, hearing the case of the Dome Kwabenya District Police Station cell break involving the killing of a policeman has set Tuesday February 18 to deliver its judgment.

At the last court session counsel for the sixth accused person, who ended giving his testimony and cross examination at the previous sitting, told the court that they have ended their case because they had no witnesses to call.

The court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh then ordered all the parties to file their written addresses by February 11.

The case has since been adjourned to February 18.

Prince Osei, Nancy Denta, Prince Kofi Acheampong and Kofi Seshie were among the four who were asked to open their defense after a prima facie case was established against them.

Six of the accused were earlier on during the trial, acquitted and discharged after the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against them, whilst two were also convicted after pleading guilty.

The facts of the case as presented by the Prosecution led by Superintendent of Police, Kweku Bempah was that, the complainants are policemen stationed at the Kwabenya District Police Headquarters.

He said Prince Osei, 25, is a scrap dealer living at Glefe Dansoman, while Atta Kwadwo, 20, is a driver and Kofi Darko, 25 is also a trader living at Glefe, Dansoman. Nancy is 28 and lives at Dome, George Yeboah, 30 and lives around the Graphic Road.

He said Prince Kofi Acheampong is 32 and lives at Afienya, Edward is 20 and lives at Tema Newtown, Kofi Seshie is 28, George Sarbah is 23, Elvis is 31, George Asante is 33, and Theophilus is 25.

Mr Bempah said on January 21, 2018 at about 0130 hours, a gang of armed men numbering six planned and attacked the Kwabenya Police station and freed their colleagues who were being held in detention for various violent crimes.

He told the court that in the execution of their plan, the assailants proceeded to the station whilst two of them who pretended to have a complaint to lodge, entered the charge office and told the counter Non-Commission Officer (NCO) that someone borrowed money from them and had refused to pay back.

The counter NCO No. 43225 G/Cpl. Robert Owusu advised them to seek redress at the civil court since the case they were reporting was civil matter, the two then turned and signalled the rest, who had laid ambush within the premises, and launched an attack on the policemen at the Charge Office.

The prosecution said they shot Inspector Emmanuel Ashilevi, who was on duty as a monitoring officer on the right buttock, held the counter NCO, the counter orderly, the charge office guard and the night investigator hostages.

He said they took the keys to the cells and released seven of the inmates, namely, Chibuzor Akwuba, Emmanuel Kotey, Rockson Edem Dzigbede, Dickson Ofori, Prince Osei, Attah Kwadwo and Kofi Darko.

After the armed attack, the assailants fled the scene, the NCO and the night investigator arranged for an ambulance and rushed Inspector Asilevi to the Police Hospital for treatment, but they were referred to the 37 Military Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Mr Bempah said Police intelligence led to the arrest of George Yeboah, who assisted Prince Osei and Attah Kwadwo with GH¢200.00 to escape out of the jurisdiction.

He also gave GH¢40.00 to Kofi Darko to enable to him escape from the jurisdiction.

He said on January 23, 2018 Police intelligence led to the arrest of Prince Osei and Attah Kwadwo at Worawora in the Volta Region.

The prosecution said investigations also revealed that whiles in detention, on January 18, Prince Osei overheard other inmates planning to escape.

According to the police in the evening on the same day, Nancy, brought a mobile phone to Dickson in the cells which he used to contact his people outside to execute the escape plan.

He said Rockson’s brother also brought a hacksaw blade to him by hiding it in a bread to be used ostensibly to cut the padlocks to the cells but he could not cut it.

He said upon interrogation, Prince Osei, said he stole his gun from Prince Kofi Acheampong.

He also revealed that Dickson and Chibuzor are Acheampong’s boys whom he normally sends out on robbery expeditions.

Mr Bempah said further investigations revealed that it was Acheampong in collaboration with Dickson and Chibuzor who sent the armed men to attack and release them from the cells which led to the death of the inspector.