2 robbers get 40 years

Two persons have been slapped with a 40-year jail term by an Accra Circuit Court for robbery.

They are Michael Adjei, aka Baby Face, unemployed and Sowah Tetteh, labourer.

Yaw Appiah, a businessman, was also sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment for dishonestly receiving the booty of the robbery.

The prosecutor, Chief Supt Duuti Tuaruka, had stated that the accused persons had on February 3, 2013 conspired and robbed one Samuel Arthur of his laptop worth GHc800, a phone valued at GHc60 and GHc1,980 cash.

The two are also alleged to have, on the said date, robbed two other persons—Ronald Esare Arthur and Duke Ofosu Arthur—of their laptops and mobile phones worth several cedis.

The accused persons, appearing before a court presided over by Francis Obiri, denied the offence but the court proved their guilt after trial.

Delivering the sentence, Justice Obiri noted that the issue of robbery was of national concern and as such the sentence must be punitive to indicate the society’s disapproval of crime.

In the case of Appiah, Justice Obiri said the convict sponsored the robbery expedition of the two and was equally culpable for the offence.

He accordingly slapped him with 10 years and sentenced the two robbers to 20 years each for the offence.

At the initial stages of the trial, the prosecution had said that the accused persons, as well as the complainants, were all residents of Teshie in Accra.

He said at about 2am on the said date, the accused persons, armed with machetes, scaled over the wall of the complainants, forced the main door open and knocked on the door of Ronald.

Chief Supt Tuaruka said immediately Ronald opened the door, the accused persons slashed him with a machete, asked him to remain quiet and ordered him to enter his room.

The police officer said Sowah entered the room of Ronald and his wife, asked them to be quiet else they would be killed, and succeeded in robbing them of the said items.

Chief Supt Tuaruka added that the accused persons, using the same modus operandi, robbed the other complainants of their valuables and left the house to sell their booty to Appiah.