Galamsey operator jailed 50 years for robbery

Tarkwa Circuit Court on Friday sentenced Kojo Owusu, a 24-year-old galamsey operator, to 50 years imprisonment in hard labour, for robbing his employer of 40,000 Ghana cedis, fifty pounds of gold worth 48,000 cedis, four mobile phones, one digital camera, medicated glasses, drivers license and a bunch of keys.

He pleaded not guilty.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah, told the court, presided by Mr. Justice Obeng Asante, that the complainant, Lousi Kwame Amoah, is a small-scale miner at Prestea.

He said Owusu and the complainant lived in the same neighbourhood at Prestea, and was employed by the complainant in his small-scale mining firm.

Chief Inspector Amponsah said the second, third and fourth accused whose names were only given as Bala, Mustapha and Poppy, are fitting mechanic and illegal miners respectively, and resided in Kumasi in the Asante Region.

He said at about 1730 hours on October 20, this year, Owusu asked permission from the complainant to visit his sick child in Kumasi.

Chief Inspector Amponsah said at about 0130 hours on October 23, Owusu, Bala, Mustapha and Poppy came to Prestea from Kumasi without the knowledge of the complainant.

He said the convict led his accomplices, wearing masks and armed with pistols, machetes and axes, to enter the complainant’s room through a bathroom window, while he and his wife were asleep.

The Prosecutor said the complainant woke up while the accused persons were in the room and when he confronted them, they subjected him to severe beating and he sustained injuries.

Chief Inspector Amponsah said Owusu, Bala, Mustapha and Poppy bolted with the items leaving behind two bags, a machete and an axe.

He said when a search was conducted in the bag by the police, an HTC mobile phone belonging to Owusu was found.

The Prosecutor said on October 25, Owusu was arrested at Aboabo, a suburb of Kumasi, and he was handed over to the police at Prestea.

He said when Owusu was questioned at the police station, he said they stole 21,600 Ghana cedis and not 40,000 Ghana cedis and fifty pounds of gold as alleged by the complainant.