A Police officer, freelance Journalist, and a Lecturer have been dragged before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly robbing some Indian businessmen in Ghana of various sums of money totaling GH¢700,000 and US$56,450 at their residence in Osu, Accra.
The accused persons, Helena Teye, a freelance journalist; Abednego Bortier, a Police officer stationed at the Nima Police Station and Francis Omari, a Lecturer at IPMC, according to court documents also robbed their victims of other valuable items including iPhone 13, iPhone 12 pro max, iPhone 11 and two iPhone 7 models.
Other items robbed by the accused are an Infinix mobile phone, an HP laptop, a Dell laptop and four Indian passports.
Out of the loot, the four passports, 2 laptops, six mobile phones and cash of GH¢595,665 and US$45,140 were retrieved by the police following the arrest of the suspects, court documents pointed out.
The three were put before the court presided over by Kizita Naa Koowa Quarshie which did not take their pleas but remanded them for one week.
The court, however, ordered the prosecution to release the items retrieved from the accused person to the Indian businessmen who are the complainants in the matter.
The prosecution’s documents name Girish Sachwani, Manish Kumar, Bhosale Vijau Kantilal, and Lalwani Sunil Kumar, all Indian businessmen as the complainants.
Brief Facts
The brief facts of the case presented by Inspector Ebenezer Teye-Okuffo, indicated that on July 19, 2023, at about 8am, the complainants were at their home in Osu, when the Police officer dressed in uniform, together with the other accused persons, knocked on their door and introduced themselves as a Special Investigation team that was to investigate an alleged illegal activity their intelligence gathered.
He said the accused persons then handcuffed the complainants, and ransacked their rooms amidst  threats and intimidation.
The complainants later reported the incident to the police and the police officer was tracked and was subsequently arrested.
He is said to have confessed to the crime while under interrogation and later led the police to his house at Dzorwulu where a sum of GH¢185,105 and US$22,500 were retrieved.
The police officer named the other accused persons as his accomplices and Helena Teye was arrested at Legon Gardens on July 22, 2023.
The police investigation team subsequently took her to her house at Lakeside, near Madina, and during a search of her room, GH¢63,800 cash was found.
The freelance journalist told the police she took part of the money to her friend at Teshie when she heard the police officer had been arrested.
Madam Teye, therefore, led the Police team to the said friend at Teshie where GH¢242,100 and US$18,640 were retrieved.
The lecturer was also tracked and arrested at Osu near Danquah Circle and he confessed to the crime and led the team to his house at Amasaman-Fise where GH¢64,920 and US$2,000 were retrieved.
By Gibril Abdul Razak