Car snatcher jailed 30 years

A circuit court in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region has sentenced a member of a robbery gang to 30 years imprisonment in hard labour for snatching a KIA Rio taxi from a driver at gun point.

Prince Atuahene, who was charged with conspiracy to rob and robbery pleaded not guilty; two other accomplices, whose names were given as Nana Ama and Owura are on the run.

Mr. Elorm Bany, an Assistant State Attorney, told the court presided over by Justice Emmanuel Amo-Yartey that the victim, Kofi Agyare, who lives at Aputuogya in the Bosomtwe District was robbed off his vehicle at gun point.

The prosecution said that on February 28, at about 2200 hours, the convict and the accomplices engaged the victim to carry them in his taxi from Pankrono to Asafo Market.

Mr. Bany revealed that Atuahene and the accomplices in the middle of the journey pulled a locally manufactured pistol and knives and ordered Agyare to surrender the ignition key to them.

The prosecution said the convict and the accomplices also seized the victim’s cellular phone, GH¢50.00 and sped-off.

Mr. Bany said the victim made a formal report to the police and wireless messages were relayed to all police stations across the country.

He said barely 24 hours after the robbery, the stolen car was spotted at a washing bay at Avenor in Accra by a police patrol team, and the convict was arrested and the two accomplices escaped.

Mr. Bany said the victim identified the convict as part of the gang that attacked and robbed him of his vehicle, cellular phone and cash.**