Accra Circuit Court remands two ex-convicts over alleged taxi robbery involving cash, valuables

An Accra Circuit Court has remanded two ex-convicts, Vincent Gbetorglo and Peter Akakpo, also known as Dompe, into Police custody over an alleged robbery involving a Toyota Corolla taxi and several personal valuables.

The pair pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to rob Martin Obeng, a taxi driver, of his vehicle, GH¢13,000 mobile money, GH¢700 cash, a Samsung Galaxy A05 smartphone, and personal documents. Their alleged accomplice, identified only as Ayensu, is currently on the run. The court has ordered that Gbetorglo and Akakpo be brought back on November 3, 2025.

According to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Issah Achiburi, the incident occurred on January 1, 2025, around 9:00 p.m., when the accused persons and Ayensu hired Obeng’s taxi from Madina Zongo Junction to Haatso. Upon reaching a spot near the ICGC Chapel, Akakpo asked to alight, but as the driver stopped, Gbetorglo allegedly restrained him while the others tied and blindfolded him before dumping him at West Land.

The robbers then fled with the vehicle and its contents, including Obeng’s Ghana Card, driver’s licence, vehicle documents, and MTN mobile money SIM loaded with GH¢13,000.

ASP Achiburi said Police investigations led to Gbetorglo’s arrest on July 30, 2025, at Accra Mall, where a search uncovered the complainant’s smartphone and SIM cards. One of the SIM cards was registered in Akakpo’s name but was being used by Gbetorglo. A further search at his Kasoa Domeabra residence revealed additional phones, including another Samsung Galaxy A05.

Following intelligence, Akakpo was later arrested at the same residence on October 13, 2025. Police retrieved a Vivo smartphone, a keypad phone, and two MTN SIM cards from him. The charge sheet was subsequently amended to include him.

Three days later, the Police tracked down Mary, an acquaintance of Akakpo, at East Legon near American House. A search of her premises uncovered a bag containing one hammer, two jack knives, green sellotape, three shoelaces, a black mask, two T-shirts, black trousers, and several car keys. Mary reportedly told investigators that the bag belonged to Akakpo and that she was unaware of its contents.

Further Police investigations revealed that between January and March 2025, the accused persons allegedly robbed multiple taxi drivers using the same method. Records also showed that both men, along with three others, had previously been convicted in 2011 by the Cocoa Affairs Court One for a similar offence.

The accused have been arraigned as Police continue efforts to apprehend their fugitive accomplice, Ayensu.