The victim of an armed robbery case in which six police officers and four civilians were jailed last November has filed a civil suit to recover damages from the convicts. The plaintiff, Kwaku Duah, a Ghanaian businessman resident in Switzerland, is claiming against the defendants special damages of $86,200 or its equivalent in Ghana cedis, GH¢4,81O, 1,600.25 Euros or its equivalent in Ghana cedis and 4,720.50 Swiss francs or its equivalent in Ghana cedis. He is also claiming general damages for the threat of death, assault and battery and frame-up as a cocaine dealer. Mr Duah is also praying the Fast Track High Court for "any orders the honourable court may deem fit to make in the circumstance of the case and cost". An Accra Circuit Court, on November 17, 2009, convicted six policemen and four civilians to a total of 200 years imprisonment after finding them guilty of conspiracy and robbery. The convicts are Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patrick Kwapong, Chief Inspector Thomas Adu, Sergeant John Agyapong, Corporal Lawrence Dennis Quansah, Lance Corporal Karimu Muntari and Constable Benjamin Blejumah. The civilians are Aams Amanor, Kwasi Tawiah, Peter Kwame Gyasi and Bismark Ampofo. The convicts, with the exception of Kwapong, who was charged with conspiracy, were sentenced to 20 years each on each count to run concurrently. Constable Ken Duodu Acheampong and Jeffery Kwame Atta, alias kay, who are currrently on the run, were tried in absentia. In a statement of claim, the plaintiff averred that he came to Ghana in February 2009 upon the assurance of Aams, who was a close friend of his, that he could get gold to buy. According to the statement, Mr Duah came to Ghana because he was encouraged by Aams that the gold business was worth investing in. It said the plaintiff flew down to Ghana on February I, 2009 and one Helmut Amoateng met him and handed him (plaintiff) $50,000 in two envelopes, adding that the plaintiff checked in at the Relax Hotel at Dzorwulu in Accra in the company of Aams. According to the plaintiff, he and Aams later met Tawia, Gyasi and Kay at the hotel, with Kay posing as the gold dealer. On the threat of death, the statement said a gun was pointed at his head by Kay, in the company of Tawia, in a locked hotel room while he was asked to surrender all money on him or lose his life. It said Kay did not only point the gun at plaintiff's head but also cocked it to fire when he (plaintiff) would not heed to their demand. The statement said with death staring him in the-face, Mr Duah took a gamble and kicked Kay, disarming him in the process, and then jumped through the sliding window and made straight for the hotel reception. On particulars of assault and battery, the statement averred that Chief Inspector Adu, Lance Corporal Muntari, Constable Blejumah, as well as a soldier now at large, slapped him and punched his face at will till he fell. It said Chief Inspector Adu then handcuffed him, forced him into a Mercedes Benz saloon car driven by Sergeant Adjapong and took him to the Tesano Police Station where he was handed over to DSP Kwapong. It stated that Mr Duah was robbed of all his money and personal belongings, adding that while the plaintiff was being beaten, Chief Inspector Adu searched his pocket and removed the two envelopes containing $25,000 each. Justifying the claim for frame up, the statement said but for their arrest and subsequent conviction, Mr Duah would have been portrayed to the whole world as a drug dealer. It added that Mr Duah planned to stay for a very short time in Ghana but the action of the defendants made him incur extra expenses. Source: Daily Graphic