Attempted murder: Registrar ordered to summon jurors for selection over cell escapee’s trial

The High Court in Accra presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo has ordered the Registrar of the Court to summon jurors to be selected for the trial of Pius Ayoma, a private Security man charged with attempted murder and robbery.

Ayoma, a cell escapee from the Manet Police on March 2, this year, upon his re-arrest has been remanded into Nsawam Prisons custody.

Currently, a legal Aid Lawyer has been assigned to him despite previously telling the court that he had a lawyer but later said he had no legal representation.

When the case was called, Prosecution led by Mrs Sefakor Batse, a Principal State Attorney told the court that per her earlier indication at the last sitting, “we had filed our disclosures and witness statements.”

“My Lady, I have just realised that we have disclosed the Police witness statement of three of our witnesses, but have not been able to get them to sign their witness statements.

“We will get them to sign them and file them. This will not delay the trial in any way,” and “I also indicated that we had not served the accused.

“I have a copy of the bill of indictment and I can give it to the accused person’s lawyer,” Mrs Batse told the court.

Legal Aid service

Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, the sitting judge who had previously directed that the Legal Aid Commission be reached out to for the accused to assign a lawyer to the accused had good news.

“We are fortunate to have Counsel from Legal Aid in the person of Jonah Mbazor Aboni to be present in this Court this morning.

“He has graciously agreed to defend the accused person herein” and “This being so, let him take the accused person’s copy of the disclosures filed by the Counsel for the Republic at the Registry of this Court.”

The court said Counsel has equally been given a copy of the bill of indictment in Court.

But, “whilst we await the final batch of disclosures from the prosecution, the registrar is hereby ordered to summon jurors to be selected on the next adjourned date,” the Court orders.

According to EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, Ayoma’s plea on the charges would be taken on July 19, 2023, the same day the jury would be empanelled.

Ayoma was rearrested in May by the efforts of the Complainants, the investigator and a team of police in his hideout.

Brief facts

Per the brief facts of the case, the complainants are a couple who reside together off Spintex Road.

The accused, Pius Anundoabil Ayoma also lived off the Spintex Road Accra and was a security man with a private Security Company.

The facts indicate that he was assigned by the private security firm to work at the residence of the couple as a security guard till he was relieved of that post upon a complaint made by the couple to his (the accused person’s) supervisor for petty stealing at their residence.

It states that on January 21, 2020, at about 7:30 pm, the accused who was no longer working at the residence of the couple, armed with a gun and a knife surfaced at the premises of the complainants wearing a mask and attacked the security man one on duty.

The facts state that the accused tied his legs and arms with a necktie and a rope, after which he hits him several times with the butt of the gun.

Access to house

The facts state that he then gained access to the main house with a duplicate key which he already had and he entered the bedroom of the couple, now unmasked where he chanced upon one complainant (the wife) who was home alone.

“He forcefully broke into their bathroom where she was freshening up to go to church and injured himself in the process resulting in blood stains on the bathroom floor.

“He ordered her to transfer some money from her phone to a mobile number which investigations later revealed was registered in his name,” the brief facts state.

“He then took her to the room where he had tied their security guard and threatened to hit her with the gun just as he was hitting the security guard if she did not give him more money.”

Momo transfer

The facts indicate that she pleaded with him not to hit her because she was pregnant and did not want to lose her baby.

“He forcibly made her transfer about two thousand Ghana Cedis to the said phone number and even assaulted her.

“He asked her for more money which she said she did not have so he told her he would wait for her husband to return since he was aware they were well to do.”

“He then tied her up in the bathroom, ransacked the rooms and collected various items belonging to the couple.

“He took away two iPhones, one Dell Laptop computer, one DSTV decoder, one Subwoofer, one 32 inches Samsung Television, one 55-inch Philip flat Screen Television, two travelling bags and assorted clothes.”

Uber request

The facts indicate that he then ordered her to use her phone to order an Uber to come to the house.

The accused, upon arrival of the Uber driver, conveyed all the items with his (the Uber driver) assistance into the vehicle.

“The accused did not leave but lay in wait for the other complainant (who is the husband) to return from work. At about 10:30 pm, he returned home and entered the house.

“It was only upon entering the house that he realised his house was under attack. He saw his wife tied on the toilet seat and in his attempt to set her free, he was attacked by the accused who was hiding behind the bathroom door,” the facts State.

Gunshot

The facts indicate that he (the accused) tried hitting him with his gun but the complainant hit the gun with his hand and run outside while shouting for help.

“The accused actually chased the complainant outside and fired the gun at him but missed him and he managed to escape unhurt.

“The accused, (who had earlier on come out unmasked to pack the stolen items into the Uber) jumped into the Uber vehicle but now masked and ordered the driver at gunpoint to drive out of the house, towards Spintex road,” it states.

It states that on their way, “the accused removed the mask and ordered the Uber driver to get a taxi for him.

“The driver obliged and stopped a taxi and he transferred the booty into the taxi and ordered the driver to drive towards Kasapreko direction.”

Police station

It states that the Police were informed and the accused was traced to Kasapreko junction where he was spotted in the taxi with the stolen items.

The police signalled the driver to stop and he did and the accused came out and pointed a gun at the police.

“The police also pointed a gun at him but upon realising that the gun of the Police was not functioning he (the accused) managed to escape from the vehicle leaving behind the taxi together with the booty.

“The taxi was sent to the Manet Police Station where a complaint was lodged.

“The complainants identified him to the Police as the one who robbed them. They also identified the stolen items in the taxi as theirs.”

It states that investigations later revealed that the accused was hiding at Fumbisi in the Upper East Region where he was arrested.

In the process of arresting him, the accused resisted, with the assistance of his mother and other members of his family by firing at one of the arresting officers, injuring him in the process.