Koala Robbery Suspects Placed On Remand

Gilbert Osabutey, a shop supervisor of the Koala Shopping Centre and two others who allegedly carried out robbery on a lady last week, were on Wednesday put before an Accra Circuit Court charged with conspiracy to rob. Stanley Obaliko and Okoe Quarcoe the two accomplices, who are on admission at the Police Hospital and did not turn up in court, have been charged with robbery. Osabutey aka Obolo, Michael Edor Ahiataku aka Old soldier, a private security man, Frederick Sedro Kwame have denied the charges levelled against them. The Court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh remanded them into lawful custody pending further investigations into the matter. They are to reappear on January 27. Meanwhile the victim, who was shot twice by the accused persons, is on admission at the 37 Military Hospital. Prosecuting Chief Superintendent of Police Mr Duuti Tuaruka told the Court that the Obaliko, a Nigerian and Quarcoe were on admission after sustaining injuries in their thighs. Narrating the facts, he said the complainant in the case is Lydia Horsu, a Marketing Administrator with the shopping centre who goes round daily to collect their previous sales and sends them to their head office. On January 6, Osabutey, Ahiataku and Kwame hatched a plan to rob the shopping centre and sought the assistance of the two others now at large, who also recruited Obaliko and Quarcoe to carry out the plan. Prosecution said on January 8, around 2000hrs, all the accused persons met at the Koala Shopping Centre at Cantonments and Osabutey, who is a supervisor at Cantonments, briefed them about the movement of the complainant. The prosecutor said the accused persons agreed to rob the complainant the following day. On January 9, this year, at about 8000hrs, the complainant came to the Koala Shopping Centre Cantonments but she decided to pick the company’s invoice and voucher to audit them and left for the head office at the Airport. On seeing the complainant leave the office, Osabutey alerted the accused persons through phone calls and Obaliko and Quarcoe boarded a BMW motor bike and moved closer to the Koala head office. Obaliko and Quarcoe trailed the complainant to a section near the American Embassy at Cantonments. Prosecution said Obaliko who was then the pillion rider alighted and drew out a pistol at the complainant and ordered her to surrender her handbag to him. Chief Supt Tuaruka said Ms Horsu refused to comply and raised an alarm. He said this infuriated Obaliko who pushed the complainant down and shot her twice in her thigh and calf and after this he (Obaliko) and Quarcoe sped off. A taxi driver, who witnessed the incident, chased them with his vehicle and hit their motor bike. Police investigations, however, led to the arrest of the rest of the accused persons with Obaliko and Quarcoe currently receiving treatment at the Police Hospital. Chief Supt. Tuaruka said the victim, who is on admission at 37 Military Hospital, is responding treatment. Prosecution said the Police are conducting further investigations to arrest the two other accomplices who now are at large.

Source: GNA