Man jailed 20 years over highway robbery

Juaso (Ash), May 6, GNA - The Juaso Circuit Court has sentenced a member of a highway robbery gang to 20 years imprisonment in hard labour.

Bariu Yussif, together with six other criminal colleagues, on the run, attacked and robbed travelers on two Metro Mass Transit (MMT) buses, of cash and other valuables.

They intercepted the buses carrying mostly traders at a section of the road between Bomfa and Adumasa in the Bosome-Freho District amid sporadic gunshots and robbed them.

One person, Kwame Owusu, was hit by bullets and died during the robbery.

Police Detective Inspector Birikorang told the court, presided over by Mr Fredrick Tetteh, that the incident happened, on March 3, last year.

The two buses were travelling to Kumasi from Ofoase and Brofoyedru in the Asante-Akim South District at about 0500 hours.

As they passed Adumasa and neared Bomfa, the robbers struck and fired shots to force the drivers to stop and ordered the passengers to surrender their cash and valuables.

The prosecution said by the time the police patrol team received information about the robbery attack and responded the criminals had fled with their booty.

Yussif was later arrested in the course of police investigations.

One of the robbery victims identified him as being among those who had attacked and robbed them.

He pleaded not guilty to the crime.
GNA