Gang of 4 caged over Achimota Filling Station attempted robbery

A gang of four who were arrested and charged for stealing and plotting to rob Engen Filling Station at Achimota have been remanded into police custody.

The four; Salasie Torsu, an employee of First Command Security Company, Steven Ativie, a welder, Rauf Ali, a farmer, and Amoo Yakubu, a trader have been charged with four counts namely Abetment to steal, stealing, conspiracy to rob, and preparation to rob.

All accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges before the Circuit Court in Accra presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah.

They have been caged to re-appear on August 23, 2022.

A fifth accused person whose name was only given as Oshirey is said to be on the run and being sought by the police.

Brief facts

The brief facts of the case as presented to the court were that the first complainant David Afiawo is the Operation Manager of Engen filling Station near Achimota Terminal.

The second and third Complainants are Richard Ohene Essien, a staff of Treasury Jewelry Company Accra Newtown, and a teacher at Gbawe respectively.

The accused Selase Torsu (A1), Ativie (A2), Ali (A3), and Amoo (A4) also live at Dansoman, Timber Market, and Accra Newtown respectively.

According to the prosecution, on July 28, 2022, the first accused was detailed to perform duty at the Engen Filling Station near Achimota Terminal.

The prosecution said, whilst on duty, he observed that the company has an inbuilt safe in the premises where they have been keeping money.

It stated that, after closing of work on July 28, 2022, he (A1) approached the second accused that, the manager of the Engen filling station brought huge sums of money to the office at the filling station and kept it in the safe therefore the 2nd accused should team up with him to rent guns to rob the said filling station of the money.

Recruitment

The prosecution indicated that the second accused agreed and both recruited the 5th accused person who is currently on the run.

The prosecution noted that whilst the accused persons were planning and preparing to go and execute the act, the Accra Regional Police Command had wind of it and a detective from the Surveillance and Intelligence Unit of the Accra Regional CID was detailed to infiltrate the accused persons and their cohorts.

The brief facts stated that the first accused person during the preparation to rob the Engen filling station told a member of his armed robbery team to look for a gun and that they would first kill the lady employees who normally sleep closer to the safe where the company keeps money and the security man on duty before they rob.

Sequence of events

The prosecution said, on July 29, 2022, the accused persons met at Agbogbloshie and tasked each member of the robbery gang with a role to play.

It said, on July 30, 2022, the accused persons again met at Las-Palmas Restaurant at Achimota where the 1st accused took the 2nd accused, another accomplice (at large) and the intelligence officer to the Engen Filling station, showed them the entry and exit points at the filling station.

The first accused, the prosecution noted also identified the two ladies who would be on duty at the filling station in the evenings of the week and the security man.

The first accused, according to the prosecution, in his bid to assure his cohorts not to panic during the robbery, promised to wear his security company uniform during the robbery for people to perceive that he was on duty.

Arrest

The facts stated that, on July 31, 2022, the accused persons again met at Las-Palmas restaurant at Achimota Old Station and concluded their plans and operations to rob the filling station.

The prosecution said, whilst they were on their way to undertake the robbery, they were arrested but the fifth accomplices managed to escape.

“In their respective cautioned statements to the Police, they admitted the offence and also the 1st accused confessed to the series of robberies that he and other accomplices had carried out in Tema, Takoradi, Obuasi, Spintex, Trassacco, Borteyman, McCarthy Hill, Odorkor, Osu and Dansoman, all in Accra, Kasoa, Big Apple at Buduburam in the Central Region, Somanya and Akosombo in the Eastern Region and Konongo in the Ashanti Region,” the prosecution stated.

“The second accused admitted that they were going to rob the Engen Filling Station and stated that, he was recruited by the first accused person.

Confession to stolen items

“The 1st accused also confessed to how he stole the 2nd complainant’s TVS125 motorbike valued at GH12,000.00 when he was on duty at Treasury Jewelry Company on 22ndJuly, 2022.

He led Police to arrest the 3rd and 4th accused who assisted him to facilitate the sale of the motorbike.

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“The 1st accused also led the Police to the 3rd complainant at Gbawe where he stole 19 bags of cement, 10 pieces of plywood, one head pan, two big cutter, one pressing machine and 19 pieces of iron rods all to the total value of GHe7,300.00 belonging to the 3rd complainant.

Source: Kasapafmonline.com