Prince Appiah (in mask)
A private security guard who allegedly robbed an Accra-based banker and murdered her 53-year-old house help with a pavement block, has appeared before an Accra circuit court.
The accused, Prince Appiah and one Yeboah – currently at large – are reported to have conspired and robbed their victim at her residence at Tema Community 20 in the Greater Accra Region.
Prince, according to the prosecutor, DSP Patience Mario, made away with $1,000, GH¢1,000, £500, one Ipod, a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge phone, three rotary wrist watches, jewelries, ATM card and unspecified amount of South African Rand.
The police are currently on the heels of Yeboah, who is believed to be hiding at Kwahu, Kasoa or Afrancho, near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
Before trial judge Aboagye Tandoh, Prince denied the charges of conspiracy to rob and robbery.
He was remanded into police custody until September 11, 2017.
Facts
The facts of the case are that the complainant is a banker living at Tema Community 20 whilst Prince is a private security guard living at Community 20 with his alleged accomplice friend.
When Prince was employed by the security company in January 2017, he was detailed to perform day guard duties at the complainant’s residence but in May, 2017 he was asked to perform night guard duties as the one who was performing it had resigned.
This made Prince know more about the complainant’s movements and then planned with Yeboah – now on the run – to rob complainant.
According to DSP Mario, the accused then suggested to Yeboah that it would be ideal to rob the complainant on Friday since she always came home early every Friday.
Mask
On July 14 when the accused reported for duty at about 5:30 pm, he came with two self-designed face masks and hid them in the security room without his reliever, Joseph Yeboah, noticing it. The complainant arrived home at about 7:40 pm and the accused opened the gate for her.
The moment the complainant entered her room, Prince invited Yeboah to the house.
They put the masks on their faces and went into the room of the house help – one Faustina Asamani aka Auntie Adjoa, 53.
They tied her mouth with a scarf to prevent her from shouting. As she was making noise, they used a pavement block to hit her head several times until she bled to death.
Threats
Accused then took a kitchen knife and an electrical cord whilst Yeboah took a T-baton and rushed to the hall of the complainant and met her working with her laptop computer.
She was asked to keep quiet and surrender all the money she had else they would kill her.
Complainant opened her bag and gave them the afore-mentioned items and moneys. Prince and his accomplice threatened to strangle her with the electrical cord if she did not give them all her money.
They marched her to her room upstairs and robbed her of the jewelleries and the other items.
Yeboah then asked Prince to keep watch of the complainant whilst he goes to town and withdraw money with the card.
Prince took advantage of the absence of Yeboah and searched the room and managed to get some South African currency.
Later, Prince took the complainant to the room of the deceased woman and showed the lifeless body to her.
The complainant managed to call the police and Prince was arrested at his hideout at Biakwaso, near Ashanti Bekwai. He mentioned Yeboah as his accomplice.
By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson