Two Jailed 60yrs For Attempted Robbery
By Helena Selby
An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a printer and an auto mechanic to a total of 60 years imprisonment for attempting to snatch a taxi cab from one Michael Quayson at gun point.
Ibrahim Saeed and Amartey Otu hired the services of the taxi driver, who is also the complainant to Accra Newtown, but on their way attacked him at gunpoint, shooting his victim in his left shoulder during a struggle.
Ibrahim Saeed and Amartey Otu, who unknowingly went on their robbery mission with a police informant, were later arrested by the police. Upon their arrest, both convicts admitted the offence but later on denied it during trial.
The court, presided over by Mr. Francis Obiri, however, found them guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit crime, attempted robbery, causing harm and possession of firearm after undergoing trial. Each convict has been sentenced to 30 years imprisonment in hard labour.
The facts of the case are that sometime during November 2011, Ibrahim Saeed and Amartey Otu hatched a plan to snatch vehicle and sell them, and for that purpose secured a locally made pistol and cartridge.
The prosecutor, Ms Joyce Buerkuor Debrah, an assistant state attorney told the court that Ibrahim Saeed and Amartey Otu also decided to look for prospective buyersso as to enable them dispose of the vehicle as soon as snatch.
According to her while looking for the prospective buyer Ibrahim Saeedmet an old friend who happened to be a police informant and was asked to feign interest in the robbery while an undercover policeman acted as a prospective buyer.
'Ibrahim Saeed and Amartey Otu were made to speak to the said prospective buyer on phone and assured him that the car would be ready on the morning of December 19, 2011.
The informant was as well asked to join Ibrahim Saeed and AmarteyOtu in the planned robbery and to play specific roles in order to assist the police to arrest them,' she stated.
She said at about 1:30am on December 19, 2011, Ibrahim Saeed hired a Kia Rio taxi with registration number GC 6757-11 to Accra Newtown, which was being driven at the time by the complainant.
The prosecutor mentioned that on their way Ibrahim Saeed asked the driver to stop and pick the informant, Amartey Otu.
'The said informant sat at the front seat while Ibrahim Saeed sat behind Amartey Otu, who was wielding the pistol.
On reaching a section of the road, Amartey pointed the gun at the driver and ordered him to stop and surrender the car to them,' she emphasized.
The assistant state attorney recounted that the driver resisted and in the ensuing struggle Amartey shot the driver in the left shoulder from behind, and sensing danger they took to their heels as they couldn't rob the victim of his car, leaving behind the informant, who was still seated in the car.
According to the prosecutor, witnesses who were attracted to the scene arrested the informant and subjected him to severe beatings, and later handed him over to the police, while the victim was rushed to the 37 Militaryhospital.
'On December 22, 2011, the informant was able to lure Ibrahim Saeed and Amartey Out into the grip of the police. The locally manufactured pistol and two live cartridges were retrieved from the room of Amartey Out, where the two convicts lived,' she asserted.