Accra, March 25, GNA – An Accra Circuit Court, presided over by Mr. Aboagye Tandoh, has ordered two men accused of robbery to be held in police custody.
Ishmael Akyene and Daniel Akpan are facing additional charges of conspiracy, possession of firearms, money laundering and rape.
They pleaded not guilty and would make their next appearance on Monday, April 08.
One other person, said to be their accomplice, is on the run.
The pair and their fugitive colleague reportedly attacked and robbed the victims, a group of foreign students, who were on a visit to the country, of their cash and other items.
Police Superintendent George Amegah told the court that the incident happened on December 08, last year, at about 0100 hours, Kokrobite in Accra.
The students had just arrived from the airport and barely settled into their rooms when the criminals struck.
Armed with pistols and cutlasses, they broke into the house, where they were staying, ordered everybody to lie on the floor as they seized from them 11 mobile phones, ATM Cards, iPad, jewelleries, power bank and cash – foreign and local currency.
As if that was not enough, the miscreants raped their victims before escaping.
A formal report was made to the police after the attack.
That same morning at about 0630 hours, the accused persons took the stolen ATMs to the Cal Bank to withdraw money from the victims’ account and were captured by a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera.The robbery attack victims were alerted by the automated teller machine that their ATMs were being used.Police investigations led to the arrest of Ishmael at Akweley in Kasoa, and the prosecution said he confessed to the crime.He mentioned Daniel and one Faith Asuquo Edem as his accomplices.He took the police to the house of Daniel where he was apprehended.The two then led the officers to a bush at Haatso, to retrieve weapons – pistols, metal bar, machetes and a big cutter they have been using to carry out their criminal activities.GNA
