2 remanded over robbery, unlawful possession of military attire
The Tarkwa Circuit Court has remanded two persons in prison custody for conspiracy to commit crime, robbery and possession of military uniforms without lawful authority.
The pleas of Benjamin Awal, 29, an illegal miner, and Kwame Mumuni, 31, a farmer, have not been taken.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Samuel Ahiaboc, prosecuting, told the court, presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu, that the complainants, Abudu Boamah, Naa Evans and BernardTawiah, are illegal miners and a labour.
The court heard that the complainants were residents of Wangarakrom, Mile 7, and Badukrom, all in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality.
ASP Ahiaboc said the accused, dressed in military uniforms over their civilian trousers, and Mumuni wearing a face mask, embarked on robbery.
Prosecution said wielding cutlasses and clubs, the accused, and their accomplice, on the run, used Awal’s unregistered Suzuki motorbike to block a road at Wangarakrom, leading to illegal mining sites of the complainants and others.
ASP Ahiaboc also stated that when the complainants and their workers arrived at the scene, the accused stopped them and identified themselves as soldiers deployed to the area to carry out a special operation on illegal miners.
The prosecution said accused ordered the complainants to pay GH¢1,000 each, but the third complaint, Tawiah and his workers ignored the order and attempted to leave.
ASP Ahiaboc said accused threatened to shoot the worker if they moved further, and seized their mobile phones.
The court heard that the complainants negotiated with the accused and collected GH¢600, GH¢150, and GH¢500 from the complainants.
ASP Ahiaboc further noted that the third complainant did not have money on him, so he called his boss, who transferred money into his mobile money account.
The prosecution said the complainant transferred the money to Awal’s MoMo account, before accused returned mobile phones to their victims and allowed them to leave.
ASP Ahiaboc said after collecting the GH¢1,250.00 from the complainants, the accused left to Mumuni’s residence and they changed the military attire.
The prosecution said accused were escorted to Mumuni’s house, where the military uniforms they wore during the operation were retrieved.
ASP Ahiaboc said the accused were handed over to the Tarkwa police together with the exhibits.
The prosecution also noted that the police recovered GH¢1,145.00 from the accused.
The case has been adjourned to April 23, 2025
