Four bank robbers jailed 300 years

Four persons, who robbed the Mepe Rural Bank in the Volta Region at gun point in 2009, have been sentenced to 300 years imprisonment by an Accra Fast Track High Court.

The convicts during their operation made away with GH¢13, 061.00.

The court presided over by Mr Justice Senyo Dzamefe, a Court of Appeal Judge, who is sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court Judge, found them guilty on the charges of conspiracy to rob and robbery.

The court sentenced Kofi Afoakwa, aka Kofi Rasta to 100 years, Yaw Afoakwa, aka Dadeseu 100 years, while Isaac Oppong and Marvin Amponsah had 50 years each.

The court, however, acquitted and discharged a Police Officer, David Delali Osae.

Prosecuting Assistant State Attorney, John Tulasi Ofori, said the complainant was the branch manager at the Mepe Rural Bank in the Volta Region.

On June 30, 2009, Police Officer Osae spotted a bullion van from the Mepe Rural Bank at the Tema Motorway Roundabout with a Policeman on board and suspected the van to be carrying money.

Prosecution said Osae immediately alerted Kofi and Yaw Afoakwa and on July 2, 2009 they planned to rob the bank.

The following day, prosecution said at about 1100 hours, Osae went to the Community One Police Station and booked for an AK47 rifle and met his accomplices at the Tema Motorway Roundabout, who came with two other AK47 rifles, two pistols and a pump action gun.

According to the prosecution, the weapons were given to Police Officer Osae, who kept them in Kofi Afoakwa’s car. Osae who was in Police uniform drove pass a Police barrier.

On July 3, at about 0900 hours the accused persons and other accomplices, now at large, converged on Sege and Osae handed over the rifles to his accomplices.

Prosecution said Osae afterwards directed the accused persons to the bank while he waited for them by the road side. Yaw Afoakwa then drove and parked the ford explorer in front of the bank.

The accused persons then pointed a gun at the security man and escorted him into the bank, where they ordered all the customers and the bank staff to lie down.

They then proceeded to the cashier and at gun point, collected GH¢13,061.00 and bolted.

Soon after the robbery, the Bank Manager arrived with a bullion van and chased the robbers but to no avail.

Prosecution said on reaching a section near Aveyime, the accused persons met Police Officer Osae and handed over the booty to him and he kept the booty in his car.

They later shared the booty and abandoned the stolen Ford Explorer at a Village near Aveyime.

On November 7, 2009 the accused persons were arrested and they mentioned Police Officer Osae as the one who gave the information and asked them to embark on the operation.

Two days later, the accused persons identified Police Officer Osae during an Identification parade at the Regional Police headquarters.