Bachir Aminuo, a passenger, who was arrested with 656 Automated Teller Machine (ATM) debit cards at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) has been remanded into police custody by an Accra Circuit Court.
Police investigations revealed that 656 ATM debit cards bearing different names issued by eight Nigerian banks and one Ghanaian bank respectively, were found on him.
Aminuo, a Nigerien, charged with Electronic Trafficking and Stealing, has pleaded not guilty.
The court presided over by Mrs. Evelyn Asamoah remanded the accused into lawful custody to reappear on October 11.
Prosecution before presenting the fact vehemently opposed to the grant of bail, saying Aminuo was a flight risk and he had no fixed place of abode.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Fuseini Yakubu said considering the seriousness and the severity of the punishment if found guilty by the court.
According to ASP Yakubu accused would not appear to stand trial when granted bail.
He, therefore, prayed the court to remand the accused into police custody in furtherance of investigations.
The accused’s lawyer however prayed the court to admit his client to bail as he had been in custody for the past 12 days.
According to the defense counsel, the accused’s fundamental human rights had been breached following the number of days the Police had kept him.
Counsel held that the accused was arrested on September 12, this year.
The court after listening to defense counsel and prosecution upheld the prayer of the prosecution.
A prosecution led by ASP Yakubu said Aminuo was arrested at KIA for possessing 656 ATM debit cards bearing different names.
During interrogation, the prosecution said the accused stated that the ATM cards were given to him by one Rabiu Suleiman based in Kano State, Nigeria, to be given to one Baffa Bawarije, a Nigerian based in Daira Night City Hotel, Dubai.
ASP Yakubu said preliminary investigations revealed that on September 12, this year accused was arrested while boarding Ethiopia Airline E.T90 en route to Dubai.
The prosecution said when the accused was searched, 656 ATM debit cards bearing different names were issued by eight Nigerian banks and one Ghanaian Bank respectively.
Again, the accused had on him $12,000, the prosecution said.
ASP Yakubu said further investigations showed that the accused first visited Ghana on April 29, this year, through the Aflao border, and departed to Dubai on May 26, this year.
“Accused second visit to Ghana was on August 20, this year, and was arrested the day of his departure to Dubai,” the prosecution told the court.
Source: GNA
