An Obuasi Circuit has remanded into police custody, a police officer with the Operation Vanguard team for robbery.

Inspector Godwin Mensah, 42, made his maiden court appearance in court and pleaded not guilty.

He is stationed at Agona Swedru in the Central Region but currently attached to the Operation Vanguard.

The suspect was arrested on May 28, 2020, after he and two other accomplices - a lance corporal and taxi driver - who are at large succeeded in robbing Thomas Lee, a gold dealer in his house at Memerewa No. 1 near Obuasi.

Dressed in police uniform, the accused and his accomplices wielding AK-47 assault rifles succeeded in robbing the victim of ¢10,000 and arrested him for trading in gold without a license.

 The accused then escorted the victim into a waiting Daewoo Matrix taxi with registration AC – 9310 - 18 and sped off.

Inspector Mensah was arrested by the Obuasi Mile 9 police patrol team following a distress call by the wife of the victim.

Lawyers for the accused appealed for bail for the accused, arguing he will corporate with police investigations.

But prosecution, led by ASP Kwabena Oduro Kwarteng objected to the bail application.

He told the court police have launched a manhunt for the two others, the lance corporal and a taxi driver who are on the run.

The presiding judge Joyce Boahen in remanding the accused said the case is of national interest.