An Accra High Court has admitted in evidence the investigation caution statements of four accused persons standing trial for kidnapping two Canadian girls at Kumasi in 2019.
The four; Sampson Aghalor, aka Romeo, a 27-year-old Computer Engineer, Elvis Ojiyorwe, 27, businessman, Jeff Omarsar, 28, tiler, who are all Nigerians, and Yusif Yakubu, a resident of Kumasi, had argued that their statements were taken under intimidation and torture.
However, the court, presided over by Mrs Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, ruled that the accused persons voluntarily made their statements, hence overruled their objection.
It said it found the allegation of the four to be rehearsed because “in their evidence in chief they indicated that no statement was taken from them while in the custody of the National Investigation Bureau.”
“But under cross examination the accused said they gave some statements to the police,” the court said.
After the close of prosecution’s case in the trial, accused were asked to open their defence.
In their evidence in chief, they held that they did not make the statement as claimed by the Police and even if they did, it was because they were subjected to beatings and torture.
Prosecution, led by Senior State Attorney, Mrs Hilda Craig, said the accused persons made voluntary statements.
They have been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit crime to wit kidnapping, and two counts of kidnapping but have denied the charges.
An all-Ghanaian security operation, led by the National Security on June 11, 2019, rescued the two Canadians; Lauren Tilley and Bailey Chittey, who were abducted at the gate of their hostel at Nhyiaeso, a Kumasi suburb.
The Canadians were in the country to do voluntary work.
The accused persons kept them in an uncompleted building on the outskirts of the town and demanded a ransom of $800,000.
The two ladies had boarded an Uber, a car hailing service, to their hostel at Nhyiaeso behind the Vienna Hotel but were accosted by the accused persons when they arrived at their destination and alighted from the car.
However, on June 11, 2019, security operatives arrested Yakubu at his house and he also led them to arrest Aghalor at Aboabo.
The security also arrested Orjiyorwe and Omarsa at Amoam Achaise, whilst they held on to the victims amidst exchanges of fire. Orjiyorme and Omarsa also threatened to kill the victims if the security operatives did not retreat.
The two were arrested and the victims rescued. A search at the crime scene revealed items including a hand grenade, knives, pistols, and other personal effects of the victims.
Source: Modern Ghana
More Stories
Youth against drugs project launched in Tamale
Tamale, May 19, GNA – Youth Against Drugs (YAD), a youth focused project, has been launched in Tamale by the Active Youth Global (AYG) in collaboration with Total Life Enhancement Centre, Ghana (TOLEC Ghana).The project seeks to raise awareness on the …
Ghana participates in fifth Global Conference on Elimination of Child Labour
Accra, May 19, GNA – Ghana is participating in the ongoing fifth African Global Conference on the Elimination of Child Labour on the theme, “We Can # End Child Labour”, which is underway in Durban, South Africa.Mr Bright Wireko Brobby, Deputy Minister …
Police move to tackle traffic congestion on Atonsu Agogo-Lake Bosomtwe Road
Kumasi, May 19, GNA – The Ashanti Regional Police Command has outlined measures to tackle traffic congestion on the Kumasi High School Junction-Atonsu Agogo-Dompoase stretch of the Atonsu Agogo-Lake Bosomtwe Road.A statement signed by Assistant Superin…
Prof. Kalamonia exceeded expectations in the 2020 elections, deserves to be retained – Savannah NPP Youth
A coalition of NPP Youth in the Savannah Region have argued that incumbent regional chairman, Alhaji Iddrisu Sulemana popularly called Professor Kalamonia deserves to be retained to consolidate the gains made in the region by the governing party.They m…
CTS is secure and safe to use – Mr Ahanogbe
Accra, May 19, GNA – Mr Fred Clinton Ahanogbe, a focal person, Inter-regional Bridge Group, says Ghana’s Case Tracking System (CTS) is 99 per cent safe and secured.He said all the servers on which the application ran were encrypted, end to end.Mr Ahano…
Reach each other across the aisle; have national discussions but disagree on party issues – Afenyo Markin urge MPs
The Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo Markin has urged Members of Parliament to reach out to one another from either side of the House as they return to work next week.He says good and enduring relationships are the only way to tame the …