Three get 69 years for robbery as tracking device exposed them

Three persons who robbed an Oxygen Manufacturer and his family at East Legon have been sentenced to a total jail term of 69 years by an Accra Circuit Court.

James Tetteh, unemployed, and Emmanuel Kelly, an Electrician were sentenced to 22 years imprisonment each, whilst Joseph Kpakpo Allotey had 25 years.

The three were exposed by a tracking device connected to the mobile phones stolen from the complainant and his family.

The accused persons were found guilty on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery by the court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh at the end of the trial.

Relations who witnessed the conviction, burst out in tears as the convicts were escorted to jail.

Meanwhile, Mr Kofi Bonney, who represented them, prayed the court to exercise its discretion by handing down the minimum sentence.

According to him, the convicts had spent over one and half years in custody and they had displayed remorse over the act.

“My Lord the convicts are not known. This is the first time they have had a brush with the law,” Mr Bonney said.

Handing down the sentence, the court said it took into consideration the one and half years the convicts had spent in custody, the role each person played and the gravity of the offence.

The court however registered its displeasure over the modus operandi of the robbery operation noting that, that warranted a deterrent sentence.

It noted that prosecution after calling four witnesses proved their case beyond reasonable doubt.

The court noted that Tetteh was arrested in the house of Allotey, who was then a landlord.

Kellly, who had two wives, also reside in the house of Allotey, where most of the items were retrieved.

The court ruled that the fact that all the money and items were retrieved in Allotey’s house showed that he was the leader of the robbery, adding that, “”Allotey served as a central point.”

It said although Allotey told the court that he brought up young Kelly, the only “nurtured him in robbery. Kelly had only become a robber of excellence courtesy Allotey,” the court remarked.

Prosecuting Chief Inspector Kwabena Adu said the complainants; Paa Gyimah Genfi and Emelia Addae Genfi are a couple residing at East Legon, Accra.

According to Chief Inspector Adu, all the convicts reside at Madina and that on March 30, last year, at about 01:50 hours, while the complainants were asleep, the convicts climbed the fence wall of their house and entered the yard.

Chief Inspector Adu said the convicts used an implement to force open the burglarproof of a window and entered the building.

The convicts climbed upstairs and used a big stone to hit the complainant’s bedroom door. At gunpoint, the prosecutor said the convicts ordered the complainant to lie down.

They then robbed the complainant of cash, amounting 19,500 dollars, GH¢8,000, 5,000 Euros, 900 pounds sterling, three mobile phones, one Ipad, a box containing jewellery and other items.

Chief Inspector Adu said at about 03:00 hours, a witness in the case, through a tracking device installed in Emelia Genfi’s iPhone, assisted the Police to track and arrest Tetteh and Kelly.

Allotey and the others however escaped.

During a search conducted in Allotey’s room, 19,500 dollars, GH 410 cedis, 900 pounds sterling, 5,000 Euros, three mobile phones, one Ipad and a box containing the jewellery were found.

On June 25, last year, Allotey, who went into hiding, was arrested at Madina during his mother’s funeral