Three persons were yesterday sentenced to a total of 65 years in prison with hard labour for engaging in two separate robberies.
Isaac Boateng, a driver, Ato Kwamina, an aluminium fabricator, and Daniel Nii Ardey Armah, unemployed, had pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy and robbery but were found guilty and sentenced by the court, presided over by Mr Francis Obiri.
Boateng was found guilty on two counts of conspiracy and robbery and sentenced to 15 and 20 years, respectively, while Kwamina and Armah were found guilty on two counts of conspiracy and robbery and sentenced to 15 and 25 years imprisonment, respectively. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Facts of first case
Prosecuting, Chief Superintendent Duuti Tueruka told the court that the complainant was a taxi driver at Santa Maria in Accra while Isaac Boateng was also a taxi driver residing at Gbawe. There were two others known only as Emmanuel and Fred, now at large, who also lived at Accra New Town.
[contextly_sidebar id=”SJ9TIM98CHrfrAXczI6Gy4JRDkR6q9an”]On March 7, 2013 at about 9.30 p.m., the five men met at Nyamekye Mambo Spot and agreed to go on a robbery expedition.
Armed with sharp machetes concealed in their trousers, they stopped the complainant, who was driving a Nissan Almera taxicab with registration No. GT 5051-13, to drive them to North Kaneshie.
On reaching the Hotel Adodo area, Emmanuel, who was sitting on the front seat, forcibly held the ignition key and put off the engine.
The complainant quickly pressed the stopper device which was fixed in the car in order to prevent the robbers from driving it away.
Emmanuel and Fred pulled their machetes on the complainant and ordered him to surrender all his money and mobile phone and he did by surrendering GH¢160.00 together with his Techno mobile phone valued at GH¢150.00 to the robbers.
Boateng pulled the complainant from the driver’s seat after subjecting him to beatings and took over the steering but the car did not start.
Emmanuel pulled a machete on the complainant and ordered him to assist Fred to push the car while Boateng started the engine and in the process, the complainant mustered courage and shouted for help whereupon Emmanuel and Fred took to their heels.
Boateng, sensing danger, also left the ignition key in the car and followed his accomplices, while the complainant went into his car, started it and chased them.
The robbers boardered another taxicab but the complainant chased them and alerted the driver that the occupants were armed robbers.
They got out of the taxicab and started running away. The incident attracted some people who assisted the complainant to chase the robbers with dogs.
Boateng entered someone’s house which was walled and he was subsequently trapped, arrested and handed over to the police.
In his caution statement, Boateng admitted the offences and mentioned Emmanuel and Fred as his accomplices.
Facts of second case
Prosecuting, a State Attorney, Ms Stella Ohene-Appiah, told the court that the complainant was a research fellow and lecturer who lived with his family at Northwest Odorkor, Accra.
On September 12, 2008, at about 1.30 a.m., the complainant and his household were woken up by a loud bang on their kitchen door.
Suddenly six men, two of who were masked, entered the house and broke into all the seven rooms in the apartment.
In the process, an army officer in the house was shot in the right thigh, assaulted and various items including cash of GH¢1,540, four mobile phones, one wallet containing cash, jewellery, two wedding rings, one wristwatch, one Compaq laptop computer and one pendrive were all taken away by the robbers.
Solomon Duodo was arrested when he offered one of the stolen phones for sale.
He mentioned Eric Cobbinah and Kingsley Amankwah as his source of supply.
When they were also arrested, Kingsley Amankwah mentioned the other gang members as Ato Kwamina and Daniel Nii Addey Armah.
Source: Graphic Online