Police officer, two others remanded over robbing Indian nationals of over GH¢595,000, $45,000

A Police officer stationed at the Nima Police Station, Inspector Abednego Bortier and two others including a tutor have been remanded into police custody for one week by the Circuit Court in Accra.

They are said to have succeeded in robbing their Indian victims of huge sums of monies but the police succeeded in retrieving GHc595,665 and USD$45.140 upon arrest.

Abednego Bortier and two other – Helena Teye, a self-styled blogger and Francis Omari, a tutor were earlier today Thursday, July 27, 2023, put before the court on two provisional charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery.

A fourth accused person, Elizabeth Teye, is said to be on the run and the police are on manhunt for her.

The complainants in the case – Girish Saohwani, Manish Kumar, Bhosale Vijay Kantilal and Lalwani Sumy Kumar are Indian Businessmen and residents of Osu, Accra.

In Court on Thursday, July 27, 2023, their plea on the charges were not taken as the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Teye Okuffo prayed for them to be remanded for further investigation.

It was the prayer of the Prosecutor that, considering the gravity of the crime and punishment, more investigations needed to be done.

The court presided over Her Honour Kizita Naa Koowa Quarshie also granted the Prosecution’s prayer to release the retrieved items to the Complainants.

The case has since been adjourned to August 3, 2023.

Brief facts

It was the case of the prosecution that, the complainants – Girish Saohwani, Manish Kumar, Bhosale Vijay Kantilal and Lalwani Sumy Kumar are Indian Businessmen and residents of Osu, Accra.

The court was informed that, Helena Teye, 1st Accused, is a Self-Styled Blogger, Abednego Bortier, is a Police Officer stationed at the Nima Police Station.

The facts also stated that, Francis Omari (third accused) is a tutor at IPMC, Accra while Elizabeth Teye (4th accused) is at large.

Inspector Okuffo told the court that, on July 19, 2023 at about 0800 hours, the complainants were at their home at Osu when the accused persons with Bortier (2nd accused) dressed in a police uniform knocked on their door.

The prosecutor said the accused persons introduced themselves as a Special Investigation Team (SIT) and were there to conduct an investigation into an illegal activities their intelligence gathered.

Inspector Okuffo also told the court that, the accused persons then handcuffed the complainants, ransacked their rooms, and with threats and intimidation robbed them of the items indicated on the charge sheet.

He said the accused persons packed the robbed items in a waiting Nissan Sentra saloon car and drove away and a report was made to the police and investigation was initiated.

GHc185,105 & $22,500 Items robbed

Bortier, the police officer (A2) according to the prosecutor was tracked and identified as the police officer in uniform during the robbery and was arrested.

Inspector Okuffo said, during interrogation, Bortier confessed to the crime and he led Police to his house at Dzorwulu and a cash sum of GH&185,105.00 and US$22,500.00 were retrieved.

The prosecutor further said that Bortier (A2) mentioned Helena Teye (A1), Francis Omari (A3) and Elizabeth Teye (A4) as his accomplices.

According to the prosecutor, on July 22, investigations led to the arrest of Helena Teye at Legon Gardens.

He told the court that when she was interrogated, Helena Teye claimed the complainants were engaging in money laundry, hence their action.

Over GHc63K share of booty

Inspector Okuffo said, the police subsequently took her to her house at Lakeside and a search was conducted in her room and cash, the sum of GHc63,800.00 was retrieved.

The prosecutor said, Helena told Police that, the money found in her room was what she got as her share of the booty.

He said upon persistent interrogation, Helena confessed that, she moved the money from her room to a friend’s at Teshie, when she got wind of the arrest of Bortier.

He said Helena then led Police to the said friend at Teshie and a cash, the sum of GHe242,100.00 and USS18,640.00 were retrieved.

Tutor’s share of booty

Omari, who is said to be a tutor accord to the Prosecutor was also tracked and was arrested at Osu near Danquah Circle.
Inspector Okuffo said, upon his arrest, he confessed to the crime and led Police to his house at Amasaman-Fise and cash, the sum of GHc64,920.00 and US$2,000.00 were retrieved.

The Prosecutor said, the passports, Laptops and the mobile phones indicated on the charge sheet were kept in Bortier’s Hyundai salon car with registration number GS731-22 parked at the premises of IPMC, Nkrumah Circle and all were retrieved.

Crime scene reconstruction

Inspector Okuffo said, on July 23, 2023, the accused persons led police to the crime scene and demonstrated how they succeeded in robbing the complainants.

He told the court that, the police investigation revealed that, the complainants, who operate a supermarket at Osu after close of work each day, transport their daily sales home.

Helena Teye, the police said picked wind of it and organised other accused persons to embark on an action to frighten the complainants and robbed them of their monies.

Video recording of action

The prosecutor told the court that on July 19, 2023, the accused persons went to the complainants’ house and robbed them of the items contained on the charge sheet.

He said, the accused persons filmed their act and the said videos have been retrieved from the laptop of Helena Teye.

The prosecutor added that the accused persons after their act, went to a private residence of Bortier (A2) at La and shared the booty.

Inspector Okuffo said the police have retrieved a total sum of GHc595,665 and USS45.140 from the accused persons and same retained as exhibits.

He said investigation is ongoing.