A military officer and four alleged accomplices have been remanded in custody by an Accra Circuit Court for their suspected involvement in the robbery and kidnapping of a Dutch national.
Warrant Officer I Elorm John Ahiakpor, along with 25-year-old farmer Silas Amewonye, 32-year-old trader Farouk Nuodio, 49-year-old trader Daniel Kwesi Obiri Yeboah, known as Aljazeera, and 25-year-old carpenter Michael Nana Addo, face charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and kidnapping, as well as robbery and kidnapping. All five defendants pleaded not guilty before the court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah.
During the proceedings, the defendants’ lawyers, Andy Vortia and Carlos De-Souza, presented a bail application. Vortia, representing Ahiakpor, emphasized the importance of a fair hearing and argued that the charges were bailable. He noted that there was no evidence of the defendants having a history of evading court appearances. De-Souza added that Ahiakpor had served as a military officer for 24 years without any disciplinary issues and argued that his remand would jeopardize his military career.
However, the prosecution, represented by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kofi Anane, opposed the bail application, citing ongoing investigations and the severity of the charges. ASP Anane stressed that if the defendants were found guilty, the penalties would be significant.
After considering arguments from both sides, the court adjourned the case to October 29, 2024.
The complainant, Lodewijk Frederikus, a Dutch national, had arrived in Ghana on October 17, 2024, to meet Amewonye regarding a land purchase in Ningo Prampram. Amewonye and Nuodio met Frederikus at Kotoka International Airport and took him to Alexis Lodge in Afienya.
The following day, they brought Frederikus to Amewonye’s residence. However, Frederikus became uneasy with their suspicious behavior and expressed his desire to return home. In response, Amewonye locked him in a room and enlisted the help of the other accused to kidnap him, demanding a ransom of €15,000 for his release.
In fear for his safety, Frederikus negotiated a lower ransom of €5,000 with the accused (excluding Amewonye), but they insisted on €8,000. Nuodio provided bank details for the transfer. When Frederikus delayed sending the money, four of the accused (excluding Amewonye) took him at gunpoint to a Stanbic ATM at Mataheko and forced him to withdraw GH¢6,000.
While waiting for the €8,000 to be credited to the account, Frederikus managed to call the police, who quickly arrived to rescue him and apprehend the accused. During interrogation, the suspects admitted to the offences.
