The Tarkwa Circuit Court has remanded two persons into prison custody for conspiracy to commit crime, robbery and possession of military uniforms without lawful authority.
Benjamin Awal, 29, is an illegal miner, while his partner Kwame Mumuni, 31, is a farmer, and both reside at Wassa Simpa and Mile 7, respectively.
Their pleas were not taken.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Samuel Ahiaboc, Prosecuting, told the court presided over by Hathia Ama Manu that the complainants, Abudu Boamah, Naa Evans and Bernard Tawiah, are illegal miners and a labourer.
He said the complainants were residents of Wangarakrom, Mile 7 and Badukrom, all in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality.
On March 27, 2025, at about 1900 hours, the accused persons, dressed in military uniforms over their civilian trousers, with Mumuni wearing a face mask, planned to embark on a robbery mission.
Prosecution said wielding cutlasses and clubs, the accused persons and their accomplice, on the run, went to a branch road at Wangarakrom, which led to illegal mining sites of the complainants and others, blocking the road with Awal’s unregistered Suzuki motorbike.
ASP Ahiaboc said that when the complainants and their workers arrived at the scene, the accused persons stopped them and identified themselves as soldiers deployed to the area to carry out a special operation on illegal miners.
He said the accused persons ordered the complainants to pay GH¢1,000 each, but the third complainant Tawiah and his workers ignored the order and attempted to leave.
The accused persons then threatened to shoot them if they moved further and seized their mobile phones, and gripped by fear, the complainants negotiated with them and they collected GH¢ 600, GH¢150, and GH¢500 from the complainants.
Prosecution said the third complainant did not have money on him, so he called his boss, who transferred the funds to his mobile money account, and the complainant then transferred the money to Awal’s momo account before they returned their mobile phones and allowed them to leave.
ASP Ahiaboc said after collecting the GH¢1,250.00 from the complainants, the accused persons left the scene and made their way to Mumuni’s residence, where they changed their attire.
According to the prosecutor, the complainants got in touch with some residents of Mile 7 and recounted the difficulties they faced at the hands of the accused persons.
He said the youth then mobilised themselves, blocked the road, and apprehended Awal and Mumuni, but the third person fled.
The accused persons were taken to Mumuni’s house, where the military uniforms they wore during the operation were retrieved, and the two were handed over to the Tarkwa police along with the exhibits.
ASP Ahiaboc said an investigation led to the recovery of GH¢1,145.00 from the accused persons, and after that, they were charged with the offences.
The accused persons are slated to return to court on April 23, 2025.
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