All the six persons arrested in connection with the killing of Private Imoro Sherrif, a soldier, on March 4, at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra, appeared before the Ashaiman Circuit Court charged with stealing, robbery and receiving of dishonest goods.
They are, Safianu Musah alias Dayorgu, Ibrahim Abdul Rakib, Samuel Tetteh, alias Wiper, Abubakar Sadick, alias Birdman, Yussif Mohammed and Abdul Gafaru Abdul Karim.
They would appear again on March 27, 2023.
Appearing before Mr Simon Gaga, the presiding judge, counsel for the accused, Mr Abdul Fatawu Alhassan, asked the court to admit his clients to bail, but his request was not granted.
The prosecutor, Superintendent Sylvester Asare, opposed bail application on grounds that the accused could not prove their permanent place of abode.
The judge upheld the argument of the prosecutor and refused to grant the accused bail.
Supt. Asare told the court that the accused were arrested at their hideouts in Ashaiman, after almost a week of painstaking intelligence-led operations by the police.
He said on March 4, 2023, the police received information that a male adult was found lying dead at Ashaiman Taifa.
Supt. Asare told the court that a team of police personnel were dispatched to the crime scene.
He said that upon reaching the crime scene, the police retrieved a blood-stained knife, a backpack containing an iPad, Ghana Card, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) card, and a military uniform, belonging to Private Sherrif, who until his death was a soldier with the third Battalion of Infantry at Sunyani.
He said investigations revealed that the slain soldier went to visit his female friend at Ashaiman Newtown, at about 10:30 pm, on March 3, and left for his home at about 1:30 am on March 4, but was attacked by Tetteh and Sadick at Ashaiman Taifa with the intention of stealing his mobile phone.
The prosecutor said that the two stabbed the soldier and robbed him of his iPhone, which was subsequently sold to Ibrahim for GH¢300, who re-sold it to Safianu for GH¢350.
Supt. Asare told the court that Safianu also claimed that he sold the phone to Mohammed and Karim.
The 21-year-old soldier, Sherrif, grew up at Ashaiman, but was stationed at Sunyani in the Bono Region, as a member of the Ghana Armed Forces Band and a trumpeter.
He was in Accra to attend a military course, and on Friday March 3, 2023, he sought permission from his commanders to visit his parents at Ashaiman.
Imoro was later found dead in a pool of blood at dawn Saturday, and was laid to rest at the Military Cemetery on March 9, in accordance with Islamic religion.
Moments after the remains were lowered to the ground, the military fired volleys over the grave as a sign of gun salute.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
