Three jailed 90 years for robbing a health worker at gun point

Accra, Oct.8, GNA - Two people who attacked a health worker after robbing her of an unregistered 4x4 vehicle at Kwabenya, a suburb of Accra, were on Friday sentenced to 40 years imprisonment each by an Accra Circuit Court.

Shardrack Efan Amos, a Nigerian, Elvis Kwadwo Darko aka Small Joe both traders, were found guilty for conspiracy to rob and robbery.

Mark Ampofo, a driver who received GHC1,000 for using his taxi cab to facilitate the crime was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

However, the court acquitted and discharged Ansah Agyeman accused of assisting the convicts to paste an insurance sticker on the stolen vehicle.

Agyeman’s happiness was curtailed when after leaving the court premises, was apprehended by the Police and placed in the court cells for another offence the Police claimed he had committed.

Frank Eshun, a computer programmer, charged with dishonestly receiving and tried in absentia was acquitted and discharged because the court noted the prosecution could not prove that the accused knew the vehicle was stolen and purchased it.

Passing sentence, the court presided over by Mr Eric Kyei Baffour said it took into consideration the fact that the convicts were young and had spent a year in custody.

The court was however, appalled by how Amos and Darko schemed to throw dust into the eyes of the court pointing out that they were “seasoned criminals.”

Deputy Superintendent of Police Kofi Blagodzi, prosecuting, said the victim, Ms Juliana Aryee, a resident of Kwabenya works with Achimota Government Hospital.

He said Amos, Darko, Ampofo and Agyeman were friends with no fixed places of abode, but Eshun resides at Kasoa in the Central Region.

DSP Blagodzi said on August 19, last year, at about 6:30 pm, the victim closed from work and was driving her unregistered Saturn 4x4 vehicle home and on the way stopped to buy a packet of sachet water from a shop.

He said while waiting, Amos, Darko and Ampofo armed with a locally manufactured pistol in a taxi and trailing the victim parked their taxi across the victims’ vehicle.

The prosecutor said Amos and Darko came out of the taxi while Ampofo drove the taxi to a spot near the victim’s vehicle under the pretext of waiting for his accomplices.

DSP Blagodzi said Amos and Darko attacked the victim and forced her to the back seat and at gun point collected the ignition key.

He said Darko took over the steering wheel and they drove victim and her vehicle to Katapor village near Nsawam abandoned her and sped off with her vehicle.

The convicts in addition, took away her driving licence, CDs, documents and unspecified amount to Agyeman’s house at Addokorm, near Nsawam.

The prosecutor said Agyeman provided Amos, Darko and Ampofo with a fake number plate GW 1604 Z, road worthiness and insurance stickers and sold the vehicle to Eshun for GHC15,000.

He said Eshun re-sprayed the car from ash to black colour and on February 22, this year, following a tip off, Amos was arrested and during interrogation mentioned Darko, Ampofo and Agyeman as accomplices and they led the police to retrieve the vehicle from Eshun.