Six persons arrested in connection with the robbery and murder of the late Member of Parliament (MP) for Mfantseman, Mr Ekow Quansah Hayford, and his campaign team have been arraigned at the Accra Cirucit Court.
The six are Alhassan Abubakar, aka Abu Fulani; Naziru Fudailu Nash, aka SP; Alhassan Mahama Yahaya, aka Mystical Cloud; Amadu Yakubu; Haruna Osumanu and Adam Alhassan.
Meanwhile, a seventh person, whose name was given only as Mohammed, is said to be currently on the run with other suspects.
According to the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Seth Frimpong, the suspected robbers pounced on the late MP and collected his Samsung galaxy 850 mobile phone and demanded money, adding that “the MP pleaded with them to take him to his house in order to give them money, but they refused and shot him, killing him instantly”.
The six pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery when they appeared at the court presided over by Ms Evelyn Asamoah.
They were remanded to assist with police investigations.
Hearing continues on October 30, 2020.
Prosecution’s facts
Presenting the facts of the case, Chief Inspector Frimpong, said on October 9, 2020, police received information that armed robbers had mounted barriers at Abeadze-Dominase and Duadze on the Mankesim-Assufosu highway, robbing the commuters of their mobile phones and other valuables.
He said the police quickly mobilised men and proceeded to the scene, but narrowly missed the robbers at the scene where they saw a number of vehicles parked on the road, with some victims bearing gunshot wounds, while one, later identified as the MP, was dead.
Seriously injured
The prosecutor told the court that one Patrick Asante, a Kia Truck driver, and Uncle Isaah, the late MP’s driver, were found seriously injured and were conveyed to Winneba and Cape Coast hospitals after the police cleared the road for traffic flow.
He said the MP for Mfanstman had filed his normination form to contest the parliamentary seat again, and went visiting four communities — Effukatwa, Opim, Takoradi and Duadzi — in the Taabosom Electoral Area.
Gang
Chief Inspt. Frimpong said at about 1 a.m., the MP’s team onboard a Mutsibuishi pickup branded in NPP colours bumped into a gang of armed robbers who blocked the road between Abeaze Dominase and Duadze, robbing motorists of their monies and valuables.
The robbers fired gunshots at the vehicle, bursting the tires as the vehicle ran into a ditch.
The robbers surrounded the passengers and demanded their valuables, while pointing a gun at one of them, asking whether he was the MP.
The prosecutor said the MP himself owned up “so they pounced on him and collected his Samsung Galaxy 850 mobile phone and demanded money from him. The MP told the robbers that he had used up all his money as he was returning from a campaign tour. He, therefore, pleaded with them to take him to his house to give them money, but they refused and shot him, killing him instantly”.
He said “police tracked the mobile phone of the deceased to Kumasi, and arrested Nash at Aboabo in possession of the MP’s Samsung Galaxy 850. Nash mentioned Abubakar as the person who sold the phone to him at GH¢780. Nash led police to Akwatia Line also in Kumasi where Abubakar was also arrested.
He said efforts were being made to arrest Mohammed and the others who were at large.
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