A trader who was relaxing comfortably in his kiosk at Madina in Accra after allegedly robbing a Chinese businessman, was arrested as a tracking device fixed in one of the stolen mobile phones, led police personnel to his hideout.
Mr Yaw Appiah, was put before the Accra Circuit Court “One” on Monday for robbing Mr Peter Zhan of various items valued at GH¢46, 272.00, cash of $2,500.00, GH¢30,000.00 and 5,000 Yen at Pantang on January 6, 2016 at 6:30pm.
The items included one HP laptop valued at GH¢2,000.00, three iPhones valued at GH¢1,500.00, four wrist watches valued at GH¢800, some jewellery costing GH¢30,400.00 as well as clothes, a bag, shoes and perfumes also valued at GH¢1,600.00.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the offences of robbery and possessing firearm and ammunition without lawful authorisation, and the court presided by Mrs Ruby Aryittey, remanded him in police custody until May 2, 2019, for continuation.
Chief Inspector W.K. Boateng, prosecutor, said that when the police stormed the hiding place of Yaw Appiah to effect his arrest, they saw the iPhone whose tracker led them to his kiosk beside him.
He said that when a search was further conducted, two locally manufactured pistols, a mask, enema, a bottle containing liquid believed to be acid and cash of Yn 1,579, Chinese currency, US$20.00, and GH¢5,450.00 were found on the accused.
According to the prosecutor, Appiah admitted during interrogation that the money and the phone were his share of the booty, and mentioned Burger, Anyen Bee and Mohammed as accomplices.
The accused is said to have told the investigators that Burger (an accomplice) was their scout who located the house of the victim and called them to come and rob him.
Meanwhile, the police are still looking for Burger, Anyen Bee and Mohammed who are on the run, to arrest them.
The facts are that, the four persons including Yaw Appiah (accused) attacked the Chinese businessman, Mr Peter Zhan, who had returned from work and was in his room conversing with his wife at about 6:30pm on January 6, 2016, at Pantang a suburb of Accra,
The robbers who wore masks and wielded locally made pistols subjected the victims and their driver to severe beatings before robbing them of the afore-stated items and cash.
Mr Zhan reported the case to the Adentan Police and a tracking device in one of the iPhones was used to track them resulting in the arrest of Yaw Appiah in his hideout at Madina where he was seriously relaxing in a kiosk.
By Castro Zangina-Tong
