Bebli jailed 15 years

An Accra High Court on Friday sentenced Alhaji Sheikh Shehu, alias Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Jack Bebli and five others, to 15 years imprisonment each for their involvement in the 1999 Highway robbery of gold valued at 2.4 billion cedis.

The five others were Philip Asamoah, alias Agingo, Isaac Frimpong, alias Nii Baby Tei, Patrick Boakye Mprah, James Doli, and Kofi Bokor, alias Kofi Bebli.

RSM Bebli, Asamoah, Frimpong, Mprah, Doli and Bokor were jointly charged with conspiracy to commit crime. Frimpong Mprah and Bokor faced an additional charge of robbery while Asamoah and Bokor were further held for abetment of robbery.

Augustus Oko Odartey, who faced a charge of dishonestly receiving, was jailed for five years.

Mr Justice Richard Apaloo, the trial judge pronounced the judgment after the seven-member jury had returned its verdict of guilty against all the seven accused persons.

They have up to 30 days within which to appeal against their sentences.

Mr Justice Apaloo said the crime committed by the accused persons was the first in the country's history when a few men in their greed decided to reap where they had not sown.

"This robbery was planned to the minutest detail and executed with military precision."

A lesson, he said, must be transmitted to all others with similar inclinations that the law in this country was alive and that no group of people could hold this nation to ransom by armed robbery.

Mr Justice Apaloo said even though the least punishment for robbery in which no deaths occur is life imprisonment, "I shall not impose that, but shall impose such a sentence that an example will be made out of it by others of similar persuasions."

"The use of arms to steal is reprehensive and we must show our total abhorrence to such types of life," he said.

Before judgment was passed, the accused persons and their counsel pleaded with the court to be lenient with them since that was their first brush with the law.

In the case of RSM Bebli, Mr Justice Apaloo said in spite of his ill health, Bebli presided over all the meetings in connection with the robbery at his residence and he must suffer the punishment accordingly.

The court made several orders in respect of the various exhibits.

It ordered that all monies retrieved from the accused persons, made up of different currencies, be paid into the Consolidated Fund.

It ordered further that all gold recovered be given back to Amansie Resources, its owner.

The court also said all the 17 weapons and ammunition retrieved from RSM Bebli be given to the Police CID and the three vehicles used for the operation be confiscated to the state.

The court further directed that the seven million cedis lodged at the Abeka branch of the Standard bank by Frimpong be withdrawn and paid into the Consolidated Fund.

Security was so tight at the court premises that photojournalists had it tough in their attempt to take shots of the accused persons after the verdict.

A Graphic cameraman nearly had his camera seized by security personnel when he attempted to snap the accused persons before they could be whisked away.

During the trial, which started on February 20 this year, the prosecution called eight witnesses with Detective Inspector Hanson Gove as the principal prosecution witness.

The accused persons in February 1999 laid ambush at Abotsia Junction, near Apam, attacked a bullion van and robbed it of eight boxes of unrefined gold valued at 2.4 billion dollars.

Security personnel arrested Frimpong at the Elubo border as he attempted to travel outside the country with his share of the booty.

Upon interrogation, he mentioned the others as accomplices and they were also picked up.