2 robbers sentenced to 90 years imprisonment

The Nsuta Circuit Court, presided over by Ms Lydia Osei Marfo, has sentenced two robbers to a total of 90 years imprisonment.

Ferdinand Manu would serve for 50 years while Tijani Issaka would be doing 40 years.

The court further ordered the pair to refund cash of GH¢25,000 and return one laptop computer and six mobile phones seized from their victims after serving their sentence.

The convicts faced charges of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery, and they both pleaded not guilty.

Police Chief Inspector Nana Boamah told the court that the convicts, together with three others on the run, armed with guns, raided the Hope Bakery at Asante-Mampong on August 30, 2015.

They severely beat up the Managing Director, Mr Kwabena Badu, and his workers and made off with cash of GH¢25,000, a laptop and mobile phones.

Manu, an employee of the bakery, arranged with Issaka and three fugitive accomplices to rob the bakery.

The prosecution said the two men had met at a police cell in Oforikrom, where they had been detained over their suspected involvement in separate crimes the police were investigating, and that was where they planned the robbery plot.

Manu informed Issaka that his employer was a successful businessman, and sought his assistance to rob him.

They brought in the three others after they were granted police enquiry bail, worked out the plan and struck on the appointed day.

The two were arrested based upon police intelligence.

Before handing down the punishment to the robbers, Ms Osei Marfo labelled Manu, the mastermind of the robbery, a traitor.