Two cabbies remanded over robbery

Kumasi, April 9, GNA- Two taxi drivers have been remanded into police custody by a Kumasi Circuit Court for allegedly robbing a lotto agent at Mbrom near the Asanteman Senior High School in Kumasi. Kwaku Antwi, 29, and Akwasi Anthony, 28, all pleaded not guilty to the charge and they would re-appear before the court on April 25. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Regina Kessewah, briefing the court presided over by Mr Ernest Yao Obimpeh said the complainant, Madam Agnes Achiaa, is a lotto agent at Krofrom and the two drivers also reside at Kokoben and Bantama all in Kumasi.

She explained that on 2nd April this year, at about 1400 hours, Madam Achiaa left her lotto kiosk at Suame and went to the offices of the National Weekly Lotteries at Krofrom.

She said as she stood by the Suame main road to get a taxi, an Opel taxi cab with registration number AS7155Y stopped, on boarding the taxi she saw Antwi also sitting in the back seat of the cab, but she just took him to be a passenger.

ASP Kessewah indicated that after Achiaa had joined them in the taxi, the drivers took a U-turn, and to Achiaa surprise, the taxi sped off and took a different course.

She said Achiaa was driven to the Asanteman Senior High School area, where Antwi held and struggled with her and succeeded in removing GH¢180 from her hand bag.

She said, after Antwi had removed the money, Anthony stopped the car and Antwi pushed her out and they sped off.

ASP Kessewah noted that a witness, who was driving in his private car behind the taxi suspected foul-play and chased the robbers and upon reaching a place at Ash Town he raised an alarm.

The alarm attracted bystanders, who nearly lynched the two, but the timely intervention of the police saved them.

The two were then brought to the Ashanti New Town Police Station where Achiaa had earlier made a report.

In their caution statement, they denied the offence, but after police investigations they were charged and arraigned.