Policeman In Court For Robbery

A policeman, General Lance Corporal Benjamin Terkutey, has been remanded into police custody by an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly robbing Chinese nationals. Benjamin was said to have robbed one Xiameng Shen, a Chinese and Engineer with the Chinese Embassy, of an amount of GH�500, two mobile phones, and an Ipad. Benjamin Terkutey, who appeared before the court presided over by Mr. Francis Obiri on Friday, was however, remanded into police custody, after he pleaded guilty on the count of conspiracy, and not guilty on the count of robbery. Presenting the facts of the case to the court, Assistant State Attorney Fred Kusim Awindaogo told the court that on August 4, 2013, the complainant, Xiameng, was driving a Chinese Embassy pick-up, with registration number CD 2665 X, from the Spintex road towards the Chinese Embassy office at the Airport Residential Area. He (Xiameng Shen) was with three other colleagues, Fang Zhongpeng, Fujiang Xue, and Xu Minghua, all engineers at the Chinese Embassy. He said on reaching a section of the Spintex road at the Tetteh Quarshie interchange, Benjamin and one Patrick Cobby, now at large, in an unregistered Hyundai Saloon car driven by Patrick, crossed the complainant and his colleagues. Continuing, Awindaogo told the court that Patrick was wearing civilian clothing, while Benjamin was in a police uniform and wielding an AK 47 rifle. The Prosecutor said Benjamin entered the complainant�s vehicle, and ordered him and his colleagues to all sit at the back of the vehicle, after which he handcuffed them. He told the court that the accused person then drove the complainant�s car towards the La area, and took GH�500, two mobile phones, and an Ipad from the vehicle, after which he ordered them to get down and drove off. He said the accused persons drove past the Osu Advent Press snap checkpoint, and not long after, the complainants came in a taxi to the checkpoint and reported the incident to the police. Mr. Awindaogo said the police on duty then reported the incident to their control room, after which the information with the particulars of the vehicle was relayed to all patrol teams and snap checkpoints around. He told the court that the accused persons, sensing danger, abandoned the complainant�s vehicle at the Osu Post office, but Patrick�s mobile phone was found in the vehicle. He said on August 9, 2013, Patrick, upon a tip off from his wife that policemen had been to the house, called Benjamin to inform him and absconded, but Benjamin was invited to the Osu District Police Station on August 3, and an investigation caution statement was taken from him. They are to reappear before the court On May 14, 2014 for continuation of hearing.