National Security Operative In Custody For Engaging In Galamsey And Robbery

An alleged National Security personnel cited in a gold scam and robbery case has been arrested for a galamsey-related offence, his lawyer has told the court.

Together with two others Kelvin Prince Boakye has been accused of robbing a gold trading firm, Waahid Gold Company Limited, of five kilogrammes of gold worth GH¢2.7 million in Accra.

When the case was called on Thursday, February 23, the lawyer for Kelvin Prince Boakye told the court that his client, the first accused was absent because he was in lawful custody at Konongo in the Ashanti region for galamsey related offence.

Counsel for the second accused, Joy Kwame Genu told the court that he was unwell and had obtained an excuse duty from Ridge Hospital hence his absence.

The third accused, George Essandoh Akron was however present in court and pleaded not guilty to charges of robbery and abetment of crime.

The prosecuting officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Maxwell Oppong, noted that the charge sheet had been amended following the arrest of another accused person allegedly involved in the robbery, Felix Tei who lives at Oyarifa.

The presiding judge of the Accra Circuit court 10, Evelyn Asamoah adjourned the case to March 2 for the accused to reappear in court.

Per the facts of the case, the first accused person, Kelvin Prince Boakye was picked by the Police on November 18, 2022, following an investigation into a gold scam and robbery incident in Accra on November 8, 2022.

Further investigations led to the arrest of accused persons Joy Kwame Genu and George Essandoh Akron on November 29, 2022, and December 2, 2022, respectively.

Items retrieved from the suspects included an unlicensed Bruni pistol with three live 9mm ammunition, two bulletproof vests, one ballistic helmet, two stunt guns and one can of pepper spray.

Background

On Saturday, November 5, 2022, the complainant (name withheld) and others who are witnesses in the case went to buy 5kg of gold from the accomplices of the accused at the cost of GH¢2.7million.

According to the prosecution officer, both parties took the gold to the SSL Refinery at the Kotoka International Airport Terminal 2 for testing, after which its authenticity was verified.

ASP Maxwell Oppong further noted that the accused persons allegedly lured the complainant to escort them to Accra Mall with the said amount of money for payment.

He added that while the complainant was still at the Accra Mall, she called the Managing Director of the company, Mohammed Ko Chan Tha, and Emmanuel Amuzu, one of the workers informing them about the payment.

While the payment was been made the alleged National Security personnel, Kelvin Boakye attacked the refinery with his accomplices.

Kelvin Prince Boakye, Felix Tei and another person currently on the run beat up the director of the company.

Boakye and his men allegedly robbed Mr Amuzu and the Managing Director of the 5kg of gold.

“After the act, the accused person and his accomplices went into hiding. On November 18, 2022, the accused was arrested from his hideout at Awoshie,” the prosecutor told the court.

The court was informed that a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) installed in the refinery captured the accused and his other accomplices in the act.

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