Carpenter gets 20 years for robbery

A carpenter who was arrested last year for robbing a staff of the aviation security was yesterday sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in hard labour by an Accra Circuit Court.

The convict, Nuhu Musah, attacked the complainant when she was on her way to work and made away with her handbag containing cash in the sum of USD1,000, Ghc100, one Samsung galaxy mobile phone and one Nokia mobile phone.

He was arrested from his hideout by the police with the help of Mamobi Neighborhood Watch Committee. He admitted the offence in his caution statement but later pleaded not guilty to the charge of robbery, when he was brought before the court, presided over by Mr. Francis Obiri.

The court, however, found him guilty after enough evidence was provided by the prosecution to prove his guilt.

The facts are that on October 30, 2013, at 4am, the complainant was on her way to work when upon reaching a lane between houses near Mamobi, a suburb of Accra, she was attacked by Nuhu Musah.

The prosecutor, DSP Patrick A. Mokeh told the court that Nuhu Musah, who emerged from the dark, pushed the complainant on the ground and stepped on her abdomen and forcibly collected her handbag containing the said items.

According to him, Nuhu Musah, after collecting the handbag and its contents, jumped into the main gutter and took to his heels. Efforts made to trace and apprehend him proved futile.

DSP Mokeh said a report was made to the police and during investigations they visited the scene where the complainant’s handbag, partly damaged, and an amount of USD 10 and Ghc23 was found in the gutter.

“On November 1st, 2013, with the assistance of the Mamobi Neighborhood Watch Committee, Nuhu Musah was arrested and handed over to the police in an attempt to sell the galaxy mobile phone,” the prosecutor stated. Nuhu Musah admitted to the offence in his cautioned statement.