Three get 20 years each for robbery
Accra, April 27, GNA - Three persons were on Monday sentenced to 20 years imprisonment each by an Accra Circuit Court on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery.
Emmanuel Amponsah, Isaac Akwei and Patrick Kuffour all pleaded not guilty to the four charges of robbery and a charge of conspiracy but were found guilty by the court after going through full trial.
They are to serve 15 years each for conspiracy and 20 years each for each count of robbery and all to run concurrently.
Prosecuting Assistant State Attorney Dominic Bakoma told the court that the complainants Edward Acheampong, Rose Acheampong, William Obeng Bonsu and Pamela Acheampong are all residents of Sowutuom and they all live in the same house except William who lives four houses after theirs.
He said on December 19, 2010 at about 0130 hours, the house of the complainants was broken into while they were sleeping in their various rooms.
He explained that Pamela, the daughter of Edward and Rose was the first to be attacked by the convicts who were armed with locally manufactured pistols, a foreign revolver and a single barrel gun. They succeeded in ransacking her room and subjected her to severe beatings.
The prosecution said after that, two of the robbers marched her to her parents' room where they forcefully hit the door open, held the parents at gun point and ordered them to surrender all monies in their possession to them.
In the process they succeeded in stealing from the victims four mobile phones worth GH₵800.00 and an amount of GH₵700.00.
Assistant State Attorney Bakoma said from there they continued to the residence of William where they subjected him to beating, ransacked his room and succeeding in stealing two digital Samsung cameras, one LG mobile phone, three wedding rings, jewellery and an amount of GH₵850.00.
He said acting upon a tip off, Emmanuel was arrested by the police on December 22, 2010, and on interrogation he confessed to the crime and led the police to his place of residence at Teshie where he voluntarily brought out a bag from his room.
The bag was opened and it contained four locally made pistols, one foreign revolver and a single barrel gun. It also contained 25 caliber gauge and 17 live BB cartridges.
He told the court that Emmanuel also mentioned the names of his accomplices who were subsequently arrested and they confessed to engaging in various robbery expeditions as a group in various parts of Accra.
Assistant State Attorney Bakoma said on January 6, the complainants were able to identify the convicts among other prisoners at the Accra Regional Police Headquarters.
GNA