Three charged with robbery, accomplice with receiving stolen goods

Three individuals accused of robbing a Quantity Surveyor at his residence in Anyaa, allegedly making away with various items, including a mobile phone and electrical gadgets, have been brought before an Accra Circuit Court. The accused persons, Richard Garbah, an Okada rider, Joseph Atiogbe, also known as Jazzy, a trader, and Obed, also known as Tinny (currently at large), were exposed after the complainant's iPhone 14 Pro Max was tracked and retrieved from Stephen Morrison, an accountant and the fourth accused person.

Morrison allegedly informed the Police that Atiogbe sold the iPhone to him. The trio of Garbah, Atiogbe, and Obed were jointly charged with conspiracy and robbery, while Morrison faced charges of dishonestly receiving stolen goods. Atiogbe and Morrison, who appeared in court, pleaded not guilty.

Presiding over the case, Mrs. Afia Owusuaa Appiah remanded Atiogbe into police custody and granted Morrison bail in the sum of GHC50,000 with two sureties to be justified. The court scheduled the next hearing for May 8, 2024.

According to the prosecution led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Evans Kesse, the incident occurred on July 27, 2023, at around 1:30 am. Garbah, Atiogbe, and Obed, armed with cutlasses, allegedly broke into the complainant's apartment, assaulted him, and robbed him of various items, including electronic devices and cash.

The accused individuals allegedly forced the complainant to provide his iPhone password, locked him up in his bedroom, and fled with the stolen goods. The complainant raised the alarm, leading to a neighbor opening the door from the kitchen. Subsequently, the matter was reported to the Police.

During investigations, the complainant's iPhone was tracked and retrieved from Morrison, who claimed to have purchased it from Atiogbe. Further intelligence led to the arrest of Garbah, who was found in possession of another phone belonging to the complainant.

Investigations revealed that Garbah, Atiogbe, and Obed were the perpetrators of the robbery. Atiogbe admitted to selling the stolen iPhone to Morrison, disclosing that he acquired it from Garbah and Obed. Obed remains at large, while Garbah and Atiogbe have been apprehended and charged accordingly.