Alleged kidnappers of Intercontinental Bank MD plead not
guilty
Accra, Aug. 24, Ghanadot/GNA -
Eleven persons, including five soldiers, who were allegedly
involved in the kidnapping of Mr Albert Mmegwa, Managing
Director (MD) of Intercontinental Bank and his driver, Mr
Richard Makumator, on Monday pleaded not guilty to charges
of conspiracy and kidnapping.
The court presided over by Mr. D.E.K. Daksetey remanded them
in Police custody to reappear on September 2 for the trial
to commence.
They include George Agyei, a labourer, Samuel Eklou, a
student, Foster Senoo, a taxi driver, Moses Ayuoba, a
trader, and Abdullai Mohammed Takai, an Information and
Technology Consultant.
The rest are Henry Adu Yeboah, Patrick Akeleyire, Andrews
Dokyi, Godwin Avege and Thomas Obeng Agyei, all Lance
Corporals in the Ghana Army.
An accomplice, whose name was given as Alhassan, is said to
be at large.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr. P.K. Frimpong told
the court that the Police had completed their investigations
and were ready with their witnesses, adding that it would be
premature to grant bail to the accused.
“This is a serious offence. We request that the accused be
remanded for the trial to commence so the court would have a
clear idea of the matter before it.”
The defence team said the accused persons were brought to
Court on August 10 and prosecution requested that they
should be remanded.
The defence team contended that under the offence of
kidnapping, bail should not be refused, stressing that they
needed to have access to their clients, have conference with
them so they could assist the court to arrive at the truth.
In the case of the five soldiers, the defence team said they
had fixed places of abode and it was in their own interest
to defend the allegation levelled against them.
The case of the prosecution was that after 2000 hours on
April 6, Mr. Mmegwa and his driver closed from work and were
heading towards Trassaco Valley Estate in Accra.
A few minutes before reaching his house, Eklou and Alhassan,
now at large, together with the five soldiers, stopped the
victim’s Range Rover in the middle of the road and ordered
the driver to alight and open the boot of the vehicle.
The driver complied but he was asked to join Mr Mmegwa in
the back seat.
The military men then showed the MD a letter suggesting that
he was wanted at the Military Headquarters.
After blindfolding them, Avege, drove the victims in their
car.
Senoo and Ayouba drove in a taxi ahead of the victims and
took them to a house at East Legon where George Agyei, the
caretaker, opened the gate for them to enter.
The victims were kept in two separate dark rooms after tying
their hands and legs to chairs on which they sat and they
were not offered any food.
The five soldiers then drove the MD’s car to Madina and
abandoned it.
Moses Ayouba, the alleged ring leader, used Mr Mmegwa’s
mobile phone to make a series of calls to bank officials and
demanded money before releasing the victims.
On April 8, Ayouba called Mr Mmegwa’s secretary to meet him
with a parcel containing 100,000 dollars around Fiesta Royal
Hotel, North Dzorwulu, in Accra.
Eklou approached the Secretary in her car and collected the
100,000 dollars on the instructions of Ayouba.
After collecting the money, Ayouba purchased a Toyota
Corolla for Foster Senoo. The said car was used in conveying
the victims to a bush around Legon where they were
abandoned.
A week later Ayouba met Henry Adu Yeboah at the Trade Fair
and offered him 4,000 dollars as their share of the booty.
GNA
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