An Accra Circuit Court has remanded two ex-convicts into Police custody over an alleged robbery involving a taxi cab and personal valuables. 

Vincent Gbetorglo and Peter Akakpo, alias “Dompe,” pleaded not guilty to conspiring to rob Martin Obeng of his Toyota Corolla taxi, GH¢13,000.00 mobile money, GH¢700.00 cash, a mobile phone, and personal documents. 

The Court ordered that the Gbetorglo and Akakpo be returned on November 3, 2025.  

Their alleged accomplice, identified only as Ayensu, remains at large. 

Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Issah Achiburi told the Court that Obeng, a taxi driver residing at North Legon, was hired on January 1, 2025, around 2100 hours at Madina Zongo Junction by the accused persons and Ayensu to transport them to Haatso. 

When the vehicle reached a section of the road near the ICGC Chapel at Haatso, Akakpo asked to alight.  

As Obeng stopped, Gbetorglo, who was seated behind him, allegedly held him firmly against the seat while the others covered his face with his shirt, tied him up, and moved him to the back seat. 

 Ayensu then assumed control of the vehicle and drove to West Land, where the complainant was abandoned. 

The accused persons allegedly fled with the taxi and other valuables including a Samsung Galaxy A05 smartphone, Ghana Card, driver’s licence, vehicle documents, an MTN mobile money SIM loaded with GH¢13,000.00, and GH¢700.00 cash. 

ASP Achiburi said intelligence led to the arrest of Gbetorglo on July 30, 2025, at the Accra Mall.  

A search revealed the complainant’s Samsung Galaxy A05 smartphone and MTN SIM cards. One SIM was registered in Akakpo’s name but used by Gbetorglo, while the other was registered in Gbetorglo’s name. 

A subsequent search at Gbetorglo’s residence uncovered another Samsung Galaxy A05 smartphone, two keypad phones- one containing an additional SIM card. 

Gbetorglo was initially arraigned alone.  

On October 13, 2025, Akakpo was traced to Gbetorglo’s residence at Kasoa Domeabra and arrested.  

A search on Akakpo revealed a Vivo smartphone, a keypad phone, and two MTN SIM cards. 

The charge sheet was amended to include Akakpo. 

Three days later, the Police, acting on intelligence, located Mary, an acquaintance of Akakpo, at East Legon near American House.  

A search of her premises uncovered a bag containing one hammer, two jack knives, green sellotape, three shoelaces, a black mask, two T-shirts, black trousers, a bunch of Toyota car keys, and one Kia car key. 

“Upon interrogation, the said Mary told police that the bag belonged to Akakpo, and she did not know its contents,” ASP Achiburi told the Court. 

Further investigations revealed that between January and March 2025, the accused persons had allegedly robbed several taxi drivers using the same modus operandi. 

Police records showed that Gbetorglo and Akakpo were previously convicted alongside three others in 2011 by the Cocoa Affairs Court One for a similar offence. 

They were subsequently arraigned while efforts continue to apprehend Ayensu.