The court ruling came after Nana Addo Asrifi, the lawyer for Patience Botwe, requested bail for his client, claiming that she had been granted bail at the Juvenile Court. In response, the court ordered its Registrar to obtain the proceedings from the Juvenile Court to verify the lawyer's claims about his client's bail.
The court also directed the Prosecution to complete their investigations so that the pleas of the accused persons could be taken at the next adjourned date. Additionally, the Police were instructed to investigate the properties of the sureties presented by the accused persons to facilitate the execution of their bail.
The Prosecution, led by Assistant State Attorney Akosua Agyepomaa, informed the court that they had received numerous documents from the Police and needed time to review them before taking any action. She also mentioned that the Attorney General was working on the case docket.
Some lawyers expressed their frustration with the prosecution's constant requests for adjournments, causing delays in the proceedings. Mr J. K. Ntoni, who represented two of the accused persons, criticized the prosecution for seeking adjournments at the expense of the accused persons' freedom.
Earlier, defense counsels expressed their clients' frustration in executing their bail. Mr Raymond Felli, represented by Mr Yaw Dankwah, stated that they had been repeatedly visiting the Police station to execute the bail, but were told to come back later.
Out of the accused persons, Sarah Agyei and Christiana Achab, both nursing mothers, as well as Job Pomary and Malik Dauda, have been granted bail. However, Patience Botwe, Benjamin Sowa, Yahaya Sumaila, and Franklin Sarakpo have not been admitted to bail. Franklin Sarakpo is currently at large.
All the accused persons are facing eleven charges, including six counts of stealing and five counts of dishonestly receiving. The prosecution, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Emmanuel Nyamekye, informed the court that the fact and charge sheets had been amended.
In the meantime, the court has discharged Kwaku Botwe, father of Patience Botwe. The prosecution stated that one other accused person, Franklin Sarakpo, is currently at large. The complainants in the case are Mr Daniel Osei Kufour and his wife, Mrs Cecilia Abena Dapaah, who reside in Abelemkpe, Accra. The first accused, Patience Botwe, was a house helper for the complainants, while the second accused, Sarah Agyei, was unemployed and a former house helper for the couple. Benjamin Sowah, the third accused, was Patience Botwe's lover, Malik Dauda, the fourth accused, was the first accused's former boyfriend, and Christiana Achab, the fifth accused, is a trader. Job Pomary, the sixth accused, is the husband of the fifth accused. Yahaya Sumaila, the seventh accused, is an excavator operator residing in Sagnarigu, Tamale Metropolis. Franklin Sarakpo, the eighth accused, is the son of the fifth accused.
The prosecution has stated that police investigations into the case began in June 2023 when the complainants reported the theft of their cash and personal belongings. As a result of the investigations, the first and third accused persons were arrested at their hideouts in Tamale, Northern Region. During a search of the accused persons' rooms, $40,000 and GHC7,619.70 were discovered.
According to the prosecution, further investigation revealed that when Mr. Kufour returned home from town in October of the previous year, he noticed that their bedroom had been opened and heard an unusual noise in the house. Upon entering the room, he found the first accused person hiding behind the storeroom door with duplicate keys to the master bedroom. The complainants then discovered that money and personal belongings had been stolen from the room.
The prosecution also revealed that during police interrogation, the first accused person admitted to giving $70,000 of the stolen money to the fifth accused person to purchase a three-bedroom property at Amrahia. Several brand-new items that were retrieved from the house were also said to have been bought with the stolen money.
The case has been adjourned to October 18, 2023, for further proceedings.
According to the prosecution, further investigation revealed that when Mr. Kufour returned home from town in October of the previous year, he noticed that their bedroom had been opened and heard an unusual noise in the house. Upon entering the room, he found the first accused person hiding behind the storeroom door with duplicate keys to the master bedroom. The complainants then discovered that money and personal belongings had been stolen from the room.
The prosecution also revealed that during police interrogation, the first accused person admitted to giving $70,000 of the stolen money to the fifth accused person to purchase a three-bedroom property at Amrahia. Several brand-new items that were retrieved from the house were also said to have been bought with the stolen money.
The case has been adjourned to October 18, 2023, for further proceedings.
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