Schandorf admitted crime in his caution statement- Investigator

Cape-Coast, July 23, GNA- Armah Schandorf, the ex-police constable who is being tried for robbery, is said to have admitted planning the robbery in his caution statement to the police, a police detective, told a High court at Cape coast on Wednesday.

Schandorf has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery.

Four others charged with him, Samuel Ghartey, Emmanuel Oduro, Kwesi Fosu and Daniel Owusu, have also pleaded not guilty, while Kwadwo Addai, the fifth accused, has pleaded guilty with explanation to conspiracy to commit robbery and guilty to robbery.

In his evidence to the court on the second day of the trial, Detective Inspector Ebenezer Peprah, who conducted investigations into the case, said the ex-policeman, admitted that he, together with Samuel Ghartey and Emmanuel Oduro, both employees of the Anomabu beach resort, planned the robbery.

Tendering the statement, which Schandorf did not object to, Detective Inspector Peprah, read to the court, that Schandorf had told him that the two employees of the resort, had hinted him of " monies the resort accrued during festive occasions, and had solicited his assistance to rob the resort in December last year".

Inspector Peprah said the accused mentioned in his statement how he had unsuccessfully tried to recruit men from Accra on three occasions, and that he, therefore, abandoned "the operation".

He said Schandorf stated that after persistent demands from Ghartey and Oduro, who contacted him separately again in April after the Easter holidays this year, he went to Accra again for help, under the pretext of going to collect his salary.

He met Fosu at the Konkomba market in Accra, in the process, he in turn introduced him to Addai, the statement added.

Detective Inspector Peprah, also tendered in evidence, the sub-machine gun and the mask Schandorf allegedly used in the robbery, four live bullets retrieved from the scene of the robbery, and a dungaree shirt, an axe, a military bag and some cedi notes stained with blood.

Ghartey and Oduro also admitted the offence in their statements, but counsel for Oduro, Mr. Gustav Addington, told the court that the statement was taken from his client "under duress and was an involuntary statement".

He, therefore, urged the court to ask the prosecution to produce the independent witness in whose presence the statement was taken in court. Fosu and Owusu denied taken part in the robbery, with Owusu claiming that he was roped in merely because he stays in the same neighbourhood with Addai.

Sitting continues on Thursday July 24.