Thomas Kofi Owusu with the guns
A 29-year-old driver, Thomas Kofi Owusu from Manso-Odaho in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region, has been arrested by the police for hiring someone to kill his boss, one Augustine Kofi Adu Bempah.
Mr Bempah, a small-scale miner, who was to be shot on January 14, 2018, was informed about the scheme by a witness in the case.
A Magistrate Court at Bekwai has since remanded the accused person, Thomas Kofi Owusu into custody to reappear on February 8, 2018.
He has been charged with attempted murder and possession of firearms and ammunition without lawful authority.
The prosecutor, Detective Inspector Stephen Ofori told the court, presided over by Kwabena Ansah Pobi that the accused person is the personal driver of the complainant, who both live at Manso-Odaho.
According to him, in 2014, the complainant employed Thomas Kofi Owusu, and they worked together until the accused stole an amount of GH?13,000 from the boss after his scheme to rob Augustine Kofi Adu Bempeh with others failed.
The prosecutor narrated that the accused person took the money after the complainant dozed off during a journey from Manso-Odaho to Antoakrom.
Inspector Ofori added that the complainant, who did not believe the tale of his driver that they were attacked by armed robbers while he was asleep, sacked Thomas Kofi Owusu.
He said the accused person admitted stealing GH?13,000, adding that he had spent GH?4,000.
Kofi Owusu reportedly told his boss that the remaining amount of GH?9,000 was with a car dealer and pleaded with Augustine Kofi Adu Bempah not to disclose the matter to anyone in the community.
The accused person was incensed when he learnt that the complainant had informed people in his hometown, Manso-Odaho and therefore hatched a plan to kill the complainant, prosecution disclosed.
Inspector Ofori said the accused person informed a witness in the case of the plan and asked him (the witness) to assist with the recruitment of a hitman to carry out the plot, which the witness obliged.
He asserted that the witness, who is on good terms with Augustine, informed him about the plan of the accused.
The complainant also lodged a report with the police thereafter.
On January 13, 2018, the police prosecutor stated that Kofi Owusu was arrested at Antoakrom where he had scheduled a meeting with the would-be assassin to finalize the deal with him.
The hitman was to use one of his two single-barrel guns to carry out the dastardly act, the police chief said.
The court heard that the hitman was to benefit from the sale of the complainant’s car.
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi