WAHAB NAKPAH, a National Security operative who was allegedly part of a gang that murdered the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Vice Chairman in the Dome Constituency, Michael Patrick Baah, has been put before an Accra Circuit Court.
The officer’s name was allegedly mentioned by Alhaji Martey Tei Korley, an accomplice, when he confessed to the killing of the chairman on a recorded tape.
Wahab and his accomplice, Alhaji Martey Tei Korley alias Commando, were yesterday charged at the court presided over by Francis Obiri on four counts of conspiracy to commit crime, robbery and murder.
Commando, a driver, also known as Mohammed, who was arrested with one wrapper of Indian hemp, had an additional charge of possessing narcotic drug without lawful authority.
He was the first to be arrested in connection with the murder over a month ago, and had been standing trial on two counts of possessing narcotic drugs without lawful authority and murder.
The prosecutor, Chief Superintendent Duuti Tuaruka, when the case was called yesterday, substituted the charge sheet of Commando with a new one to include the Security officer, who was arrested a week ago.
According to the prosecutor, a duplicate docket would be sent to the Attorney-General’s Department for advice.
Lawyers for the accused persons, who denied the charges, prayed the court for bail on behalf of their clients, but the trial judge refused to grant it after observing that the charges were not bailable and subsequently remanded them to re-appear on January 27.
Wahab was in tears while being escorted by police to the cells at the Cocoa Affairs Court after the remand order was made.
Presenting the facts of the case, Chief Superintendent Duuti Tuaruka mentioned that the complainant is the son of the deceased while the accused persons resided at Nima.
He said in 2009, the NPP Vice Chairman, Baah, was murdered in cold blood and the reason behind the killing became a mystery.
Chief Superintendent Tuaruka narrated that on June 16, 2009, Patrick Opoku Baah hosted a German friend, one Claus Timman, in his house.
Three days later, at about 1:00am, three armed men attacked the deceased and his wife in their bedroom and robbed them of their jewellery, mobile phones and cash of GH¢3,500.
The prosecutor stated that while the robbers were about to leave the room, the deceased tried to pick his pump action gun, but one of the robbers, who noticed the movement, shot him three times and he fell back on his bed.
The robbers allegedly took along the gun and went into the next room where Claus Timman was and shot him, after which they robbed him of the sum of 3,500 Euros, GH¢1,000 and a Nokia mobile phone.
After the robbers had fled from the scene with their booty, the victims were rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, but the NPP chairman was pronounced dead on arrival.
The prosecutor disclosed that Claus was treated and left the hospital for Germany on June 21, 2009.
According to Chief Superintendent Tuaruka, on November 16, 2013, the police had information that Commando was heard telling some persons that he was behind the murder of Baah on that fateful day.
Furthermore, he stated that the accused person, who was being taped without his knowledge, said he was a contract killer and a witness in the case later forwarded the tape to the police.
Explaining further, he said after the conversation was taped and forwarded to the police, Commando was arrested at Nima and a search conducted on him revealed one wrapper of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.
In the said recording, the names of the security officer and another person were mentioned as accomplices.
Based on the information and further investigations, on January 9, 2014, Wahab was arrested.
The prosecutor stated that efforts were being made to arrest the third accomplice.
By Mary Anane
source
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