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Trial of Ataa
Ayi halted
Accra, Feb. 18, Ghanadot/GNA – The
trial of Aryee Aryeetey, aka Ataa Ayee, and two others who
are being held for conspiracy and robbery, was on Wednesday
halted midway at an Accra Fast Track High Court.
This followed the denial by two of the accused persons,
Michael Tagoe, aka Nii Armah, and Mohammed Musa Azangbego,
aka Madi, that the content of the statements given to the
police on different dates was true.
According to the two they were beaten and forced by the
Police to append their signatures. These were done after the
Police had taken down their names, place of abode and their
ages.
The disruption occurred when prosecution led Detective Chief
Inspector Cosmos Ahiakpa, an investigator, testified before
the court.
The main investigator was said to be on assignment in Sudan
and would be returning next month.
Tagoe and Musa claimed the statements read out by Detective
Inspector Ahiakpa were not theirs although the statement
bore his signature.
The court therefore asked the detective to produce the
independent witnesses, namely, Dan Antwi and Philomena
Mensah on February 23.
When sitting resumed on Wednesday, Mr David Annan, a lawyer,
turned up and represented Ataa Aryee, now serving 70 years
and 20 years jail terms on separate charges of robberies.
According to Mr Annan he got wind of the trial in the media
hence turned up to represent Ataa Aryee.
Reading out Tagoe’s statement Detective Chief Inspector
Ahiakpa said Tagoe said he was a 22 year-old taxi driver but
had no car of his own.
According to him, Tagoe said he sometimes drove his friends’
cars whenever they were indisposed as a “spare” driver.
The investigator said on July 24, 2004, Tagoe said Ataa
Aryee called him on phone to meet him at the Trade Fair
site.
At the Trade Fair site Ataa Aryee arrived in a Honda Civic
saloon car driven by Prince Isaac Arthur one of the
accomplices, now deceased.
Detective Chief Inspector Ahiakpa said Tagoe maintained that
he and the occupants went to Osu and parked near Barclays
Bank, Osu branch.
Ataa Aryee went to the baking hall and as soon as he spotted
Mr Sam M. Darko, the complainant leaving the baking hall, he
phoned them to move in, the investigator read out.
Tagoe further stated that as they followed the complainant,
he pushed the complainant and snatched the bag containing 10
million cedis and not 15 million cedis as the prosecution
said.
Ataa Aryee, who was armed with an AK 47, pointed it at the
complainant and they drove to La.
On their way to La, Tagoe said they shared the money and he
received 2.5 million cedis (GH¢250 cedis).
Tagoe said he went home while Ataa Aryee who handled the
rifle drove home.
He said any time he enquired about Ataa Aryee’s place of
abode, he told him that he was a “wanted man” hence he did
not reside at one place.
Others standing trial with Ataa Aryee are Michael Tagoe, aka
Nii Armah, Prince Isaac Arthur, aka Mustapha, now deceased,
and Mohammed Musa Azangbego, aka Madi.
The three have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and robbery
and they have been remanded into prison custody.
The prosecution has it that on July 24, 2004 Mr Darko went
to the Osu branch of Barclays Bank and withdrew 15 million
cedis (GH¢1,500 cedis) for Capital Refrigeration, a firm
based in Accra.
The prosecution said as the complainant was returning to his
office, Tagoe came out of a Honda Civic car with
registration number AS 3078 S which was being used by the
accused persons.
Tagoe, the prosecution said, walked to the complainant,
pushed him down and picked the money.
The complainant attempted to raise the alarm but Ataa Ayee
came out of the car and pointed his AK47 rifle at him.
Tagoe and Ataa Aryee joined their colleagues in the car and
they bolted with the money.
The prosecution said on August 24, 2004, Tahoe was arrested
and during Police investigation, he admitted the offence and
mentioned the names of other accused persons, who also
admitted the offence when they were arrested.
GNA
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