An Accra Circuit Court has ordered the remand of ex-convict and barber, Vincent Gbetorglo, into police custody for his alleged role in the violent robbery of a taxi driver in Haatso on New Year’s Day.
Gbetorglo is accused of committing the offence with two other men — identified as Peter Akakpo, alias Dompe, and an accomplice known only as Ali — who remain at large. Prosecutors say the trio snatched a Toyota Corolla taxi, registration GM 292-16, and stole several personal items and cash from the driver.
The incident occurred around 9:00 p.m. on January 1, 2025, when the victim, taxi driver Martin Obeng, was hired from Madina Zongo Junction to Haatso. Near ICGC Chapel, Akakpo allegedly pretended he wanted to alight. When the driver stopped, Gbetorglo, seated behind him, reportedly grabbed him from behind while the others covered his face with his shirt, tied him to the seat, and shifted him to the back of the car.
The attackers allegedly drove to Westland, abandoned the driver, and fled with the vehicle, his driver’s licence, Ghana Card, vehicle documents, Samsung Galaxy A05 phone, an MTN SIM card loaded with GHC13,000, and GHC700 in cash.
Police arrested Gbetorglo on July 30, 2025, at Accra Mall following an intelligence-led operation. A search allegedly uncovered the victim’s phone, two MTN SIM cards — one registered to Akakpo but in Gbetorglo’s possession — and another in his own name. A raid on his Kasoa Domeabra home reportedly produced another Samsung Galaxy A05 and two keypad phones, one with a SIM card registered under a different identity.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Emmanuel Nyamekye told the court that Gbetorglo, a Togolese national, had a serious criminal history. In 2011, he was sentenced to 40 years by Cocoa Affairs Court One but regained freedom in 2023 after winning an appeal.
He now faces charges of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery. Gbetorglo pleaded not guilty before High Court Judge Evelyn Asamoah, sitting with additional responsibility as a Circuit Court judge. He is scheduled to reappear on August 21, 2025, as police continue the search for his alleged accomplices.
