Lillian Kumah, widow of Mr. Kumah

The Accra Magistrate’s Court on Friday refused to grant bail to two persons who allegedly stole cash, electrical appliances and other items from the widow of Mr John Kumah.

Adams Sanogo, a trader, and Kwame Dunga, who is at large, are alleged to have conspired to steal $50,000, GH₵50,000, an iPhone 15 Pro Max valued at GH₵15,000 from Pastor Lillian Kumah, widow of Mr Kumah, a former Deputy Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for Ejisu.

They also allegedly stole her Apple iPad worth GH₵15,000, a Samsung Z Fold phone worth GH₵12,000, a Microsoft laptop worth GH₵7,000, a black school bag worth GH₵400 and an Apple Watch, the value of which is unknown.

Rabiu Falilu, a high school dropout, is also accused of dishonestly accepting some stolen items.

The suspects, who were arrested in the Ashanti region and handed over to the police in Accra, deny the crime and have been remanded in custody to assist in the investigation and arrest of one Kwame Dunga, their alleged accomplice, who is on the run.

The court, presided over by Mr Isaac Addo, rejected the bail sought by Mr Benjamin Ofori, counsel for the defendants, on the grounds that the case was sensitive and not in the interest of the society.

They will be returned on August 7, 2024.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (ASP) Mr Raymond Ackom said that Reverend Lillian Kumah, the complainant, was the widow of Mr Kumah, a resident of Achimota-Mile 7, Accra.

Sanogo is a mobile phone dealer in Adum-PZ and a resident of Kokoso, both suburbs of Kumasi, while Falilu was a resident of Jamasi in the Ashanti Region.

He said that on December 29, 2023, an unknown person gained access to the residence of Pastor Kumah and stole her personal belongings including an iPhone 15 Pro Max worth GH₵15,000, a Samsung Z Fold mobile phone worth GH₵12,000, an Apple iPad worth GH₵15,000, a Microsoft laptop worth GH₵7,000, a black school bag worth GH₵400, an Apple Watch whose value is yet to be disclosed, as well as cash amounting to GH₵50,000 and $50,000.

The prosecution said it had lodged a formal complaint with police and provided them with CCTV footage of the incident. On July 24, 2024, police investigations led to the arrest of Falilu, who was in possession of the complainant’s iPhone 15 Pro Max in Jamasi in the Ashanti Region, the court was told.

The prosecution said that upon his arrest, he led police to Adum PZ, Kumasi, where Sanogo was also arrested. During interrogation, Sanogo admitted to selling the phone to Falilu.

He further named Dunga, another mobile phone dealer in Adum PZ, who is currently at large, as his accomplice, the court heard.

The Public Prosecution Service said Sanogo and Falilu were warned, charged with the offence and brought before the court. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to arrest Dunga.

In praying for bail, Mr Ofori said Sanogo and Falilu had fixed abodes, were not flight risks and had people of means who could act as sureties for them. They had also assisted the police and were still willing to assist the police in their investigations.

He said Sanogo was a middleman who bought a phone from Kwame while Falilu was just an SHS dropout who led the police to Sanogo, the person from whom he got the phone.

The Public Prosecution opposed the bail application, saying that if the suspects were released, they would disrupt investigations and avoid appearing in court as they have been on the run since 2023. Police sent intelligence officers to the Ashanti region, who arrested them only two days ago.