An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a driver to eight years in prison for attempting to kidnap a father and daughter for ransom.
Godfred Aitti denied colluding with Wang Liang in preparing to kidnap the two for ransom, but was found guilty at trial.
The suspect is currently on the run.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye had earlier told a court presided over by Mrs. Afia Owusua Appiah that on August 3, 2022, one of the witnesses in the case, Richard Asomaning, called Tema police that Aitti called him. He said that he had reported that he had solicited involvement. By kidnapping.
Prosecutors said Asomaning was also tasked with recruiting qualified drivers to carry out such operations for ransom purposes.
DSP Nyamekye said the witness pretended to be interested in the act and, in addition to copies of his driving license and Ghana card, also provided a copy of Peter Offor, a friend of the first witness, who he had just recruited for the convict.γ»He said he also forwarded Mr. Agbovie’s copy.
Witnesses then requested a meeting with the convict to find out who the victim was, he told the court.
According to the prosecution, the convict told witnesses that the victim was Joseph K. Hogle, owner of JK Hogle Transport and Company Ltd. in Kupone, and that he was also a vice president of the company. He is said to have said that it was Mr. Erinam, the daughter of Mr.
Aitti never met the witnesses in person and only communicated with them by phone.
DSP Nyamekye said witnesses were questioned at the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) as the Tema Police had sought the assistance of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) to assist in the investigation of the incident.
Witnesses started communicating with the prisoners and it became clear that a WhatsApp group platform was created by the prisoners for this operation.
The court heard that convicted Aitti offered Asomaning 50 Ghanaian cedis (GHβ΅50.00) to begin monitoring either of the victims. The first photos of the company’s premises were taken and sent to the convicts.
Mr. Agbovi, DSP Nyamekye, said the inmate asked him to borrow a vehicle while he (the inmate) procured an operational firearm.
Prosecutors said they tracked down the convict and arrested him on August 9, 2022. The convict admitted the crime and suggested that Wang, a Chinese national who worked with him at DADA Foods, had orchestrated the kidnapping.
As a result of the investigation, the convict worked as a driver for the victim’s company from 2017 to 2018, and his former boss sent a ransom using virtual currency to Mr. Wang Liang’s account in China to avoid detection. It became clear that he knew he had the financial means to pay.
He said Asomaning had previously posted details on Jiji Online, including a phone number, asking for work as a driver.
The defendant found the first witness’s phone number from the site and contacted him asking for a job as a driver, and when he agreed, he changed the subject from employment to kidnapping.
DSP Nyamekye said Ayittey had also asked Asomaning to use the same route to recruit another person.
As a result of the investigation, Ayiti was charged with the crime.
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