Crime & Punishment of Friday, 24 February 2017

Source: dailyguideafrica.com

Attorney General takes over Donkorkrom cop-robbers case

The two accused policemen The two accused policemen

The docket on the case involving the two serving police officers, who attempted to rob the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) bullion van at Donkorkrom in the Eastern Region, has finally been assigned to a State Attorney.

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Apiorsornu told the court yesterday that officials of the Attorney General (A-G) Department had informed him that the docket had been assigned to an attorney.

Two weeks ago, Detective Inspector Divine Tornu, the investigator, told the court that the docket, which was forwarded to the department before the strike action by the State Attorneys, had not been assigned to an official of the department.

He said the police made follow-ups at the department to find out who had been assigned to the case, urging the court to grant adjourn the case.

The prosecution was optimistic officials of the AG’s Department would expedite work on the docket.

Magistrate Stephen Owusu wondered how long the court should wait for the advice.

He said when dockets get stuck at the AG’s Department, indicating that the court was not responsible for the delay in the trial. Sitting continues March 9.

General Lance Corporals Daniel Kissi Abrokwah and Solomon Elvis Mensah are in the dock with their civilian accomplice Hafisu Mohammed, aka Danjuma over the death of Daniel K. Sarpong, 52, the driver of the GCB Bullion Van with registration GN 1354-15 in the Donkorkrom robbery.

According to the prosecution, the two Lance Corporals had the intention to rob the vehicle which had always come to Donkorkrom to supply money to the bank.

“The two accused policemen, who were on duty at the GN and GCB Banks respectively, decided to exercise their plan of robbing the bullion van of any cash it was carrying,” according to the prosecution.

The three, on August 16, 2016 at Mame-Krobo, near Tease in the Eastern Region, conspired and acted together with a common criminal objective to commit crime to wit murder.

The two policemen have been slapped with additional charges of attempted robbery and murder.

In the murder case, the prosecution stated that the cops at the same place and date caused the death of one Daniel K. Sarpong.

The prosecution disclosed that on the said day, the policemen discussed the plan to rob the van with Danjuma, a cabbie who is their friend.

The policemen waylaid the van at a spot between Tease and Mame-Krobo, each armed with an AK 47 assault rifle at about 10:30 am, stressing that Danjuma drove his vehicle towards Ekye Amanfrom to monitor the arrival of the van.