Court remands soldier and 4 others over robbery and kidnapping

An Accra Circuit Court has remanded a military officer and four others over their alleged involvement in a robbery and kidnapping incident involving a Dutch citizen.

As reported by the Ghana News Agency, Warrant Officer Class I (WOI) Elorm John Ahiakpor, along with Silas Amewonye (a 25-year-old farmer), Farouk Nuodio (a 32-year-old trader), Daniel Kwesi Obiri Yeboah (also known as Aljazeera, aged 49 and also a trader), and Michael Nana Addo (a 25-year-old carpenter), have been charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and kidnapping, as well as robbery and kidnapping. All five have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah, heard arguments from defence lawyers Andy Vortia and Carlos De-Souza, who applied for bail on behalf of their clients. Mr Vortia, representing WOI Elorm John Ahiakpor, argued that it was premature to draw conclusions based solely on the police's account and maintained that justice should be served through a fair trial. He further emphasised that the charges against the accused were bailable and noted that there was no record of any of them absconding while on bail. Mr De-Souza supported these claims, highlighting Ahiakpor's 24 years of unblemished military service and expressing concern that remanding him could harm his career.

However, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kofi Anane, representing the prosecution, opposed the bail request. He urged the court to deny bail, pointing out the severity of the charges and stressing that the ongoing investigation required the suspects to remain in custody. ASP Anane reminded the court of the serious consequences the accused could face if found guilty.

After considering the arguments from both sides, the court adjourned the case to 29 October 2024.

The complainant in the case, Dutch national Lodewijk Frederikus, had arrived in Ghana on 17 October 2024 to meet with Silas Amewonye regarding a land deal in Ningo Prampram. Amewonye and Farouk Nuodio met Frederikus at Kotoka International Airport and took him to stay at Alexis Lodge in Afienya. The following day, they moved him to Amewonye’s home.

However, on 20 October 2024, Frederikus became suspicious of Amewonye and Nuodio's behaviour and expressed his intention to return to the Netherlands. In response, Amewonye locked him in a room and, with the help of the other suspects, kidnapped him. The group demanded a ransom of €15,000 for his release.

Fearing for his life, Frederikus attempted to negotiate with the accused, excluding Amewonye, and offered €5,000. They eventually reduced the demand to €8,000. Nuodio provided his bank details for the transfer, but when the money was not sent promptly, four of the suspects (excluding Amewonye) forced Frederikus at gunpoint to withdraw GH¢6,000 from a Stanbic ATM in Mataheko.

While waiting for the €8,000 to be deposited, Frederikus managed to contact the police, who quickly arrived to rescue him and arrested the suspects. During questioning, the accused reportedly admitted to their roles in the crime.

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