A Kumasi Circuit Court, presided over by Mrs Afua Adu-Amankwaa, has ordered four men accused of robbery to be held in prison custody.

Nuhu Toffik, Mohammed Amuzu, Issaku Mumuni and Richard Avaraves, reportedly committed the crime on April 1, at about 0400 hours, at Tafo-Nhyiaeso in Kumasi.

They were said to have attacked and forcibly seized a handbag of a trader, Millicent Mensah, containing her Samsung cellular phone and cash, amid firing of gunshots.

The accused are facing charges of conspiracy and robbery, and pleaded not guilty. They would make their next court appearance on October 9.

An Assistant State Attorney, Nana Ama Kessey, told the court that the victim had just got down from a commercial bus, when the four together with two others on the run, armed with guns and knives, struck.

They demanded that she surrendered her bag and cash on her, which she did for fear of her life.

The prosecution said before they could escape with the stolen items, Millicent raised the alarm and that attracted some people in the neighbourhood but they were scared away by sporadic gunshots fired by the robbers.

The victim was later picked by a driver in his vehicle to make a report to the police officers at a barrier not far from the crime scene, and their swift response resulted in the arrest of Toffik, who led the police to arrest the three others.