A private security guard charged with attempted murder and robbery is believed to have fled from Manet Police custody moments after the High Court in Accra remanded him in jail custody. Pius Anundoabil Ayoma was arraigned before the Court presided over by Judge Lydia Osei Marfo on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, and was remanded into prison custody upon the prosecution's request. Ms. Sefakor Batse, a Principal State Attorney for the prosecution, advised the court that the accused, who was in police custody, should be remanded into prison custody.
"It is our hope that he (accused) gets put into prison custody so that prison personnel may simply convey him to court."
The accused, who arrived in court without counsel, informed the judge that he has a lawyer but could not get one to appear. Prior to adjourning the case until March 20, Justice Osei Marfo stated that "the accused who is now in police custody should be put in prisons custody."
"The officer in charge of the prison should guarantee that the accused individual is brought to court on the days he is expected to arrive till the resolution of this matter," Judge Osei Marfo said. The prosecution was also ordered by the court to "prepare their disclosures and serve the accused person and his lawyer."
However, according to information acquired by EIB Network's Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, the accused escaped from the Manet Police Station at 1:00 a.m. today. According to the information, the detectives were scheduled to get the court's warrant today after the court authorized the request for him to be remanded into jail custody, but the accused has absconded.. The police are currently on a manhunt for him.
Brief facts:
According to the case's summary, the complainants are a couple who live together off Spintex Road. Pius Anundoabil Ayoma, the accused, also lived off the Spintex Road in Accra and worked as a security guard for a private security company. According to the facts, he was assigned by the private security agency to function as a security guard at the couple's property until he was discharged of that duty following a complaint made by the couple to his (the accused person's) supervisor about petty larceny at their residence. It is stated that on January 21, 2020, at around 7:30 p.m., the accused, who was no longer working at the couple's residence and was equipped with a revolver and a knife, appeared at the premises. The facts state that the accused tied his legs and arms with a necktie and a rope, after which he hit him several times with the butt of the gun.
Access to house
According to the facts, he then obtained access to the main house using a duplicate key that he already had and entered the couple's now-unmasked bedroom, where he encountered one complainant (the wife) who was home alone. "He aggressively broke into their bathroom where she was freshening up to go to church and wounded himself in the process resulting in blood streaks on the bathroom floor.
"He directed her to transfer money from her phone to a mobile number that investigations later discovered was registered in his name," according to the summary of facts.
“He then took her to the room where he had tied their security guard and threatened to hit her with the gun just as he was hitting the security guard if she did not give him more money.”
Momo transfer
According to the facts, she begged him not to hit her because she was pregnant and didn't want to lose her child.
"He forcibly made her send about two thousand Ghana Cedis unto the mentioned phone number and even attacked her.
"He begged for more money, which she replied she didn't have, so he told her he'd wait for her husband to arrive because he knew they were well-off."
"He then tied her up in the bathtub, ransacked the rooms, and collected various valuables belonging to the couple.
"He grabbed two iPhones, a Dell laptop computer, a DSTV decorator, a Subwoofer, a 32-inch Samsung television, a 55-inch Philip flat-screen television, two travel bags, and other items."
Uber request:
According to the facts, he then told her to use her phone to call an Uber to come to the house. When the uber driver arrived, the accused assisted the uber driver in loading all of the stuff into the vehicle.
"The accused did not depart but waited for the second complainant (the spouse) to return from work. He returned home and entered the house around 10:30 p.m.
"It was only upon entering the house that he understood his residence was under attack. "He observed his wife tied on the toilet seat and in his attempt to free her, he was attacked by the accused who was hidden behind the bathroom door," according to the facts.
Gunshot
According to the circumstances, he (the accused) attempted to hit him with his gun, but the complainant hit the gun with his hand and ran outside, screaming for help.
"The accused really chased the complainant outside and fired the gun at him but missed him and he managed to escape unscathed.
"At gunpoint, the accused (who had previously come out unmasked to pack the stolen stuff into the Uber) stepped into the Uber vehicle but now masked, and instructed the driver to drive out of the house, towards Spintex road," the report adds. On the way, "the accused removed the mask and told the Uber driver to grab a taxi for him," according to the report.
“The driver obliged and stopped a taxi and he transferred the booty into the taxi and ordered the driver to drive towards Kasapreko direction.”
Police station
According to the report, the police were notified, and the culprit was tracked down to Kasapreko crossroads, where he was found in a cab with the stolen things. The police signaled the car to stop, which he did, and the accused emerged, pointing a revolver at the officers.
"The police also pointed a gun at him but upon realising that the gun of the police was not operating he (the accused) managed to flee from the vehicle leaving behind the cab combined with the booty.
"The cab was taken to Manet Police Station, where a complaint was filed.
"The complainants recognized him as the robber to the police. They also claimed ownership of the stolen things in the taxi."
According to the report, investigations later showed that the accused was hiding in Fumbisi in the Upper East Region when he was apprehended.
During the arrest, the accused resisted by firing at one of the arresting policemen, hurting him in the process, with the help of his mother and other family members.
