Two jailed 40 years for robbery

Two persons who robbed a family at gunpoint and made away with their household items at Amasaman have been sentenced to a 20-year jail term each by an Accra Circuit Court.

Benson Osei aka Abouden aka Nana Yaw Osei aged 35 and Evans Baffour Asare, 26, were found guilty on the charges of conspiracy to commit a crime to wit robbery and robbery.

The court sentenced each of the accused to 20 years on each count, the sentences were, however, to run concurrently.

The trial judge, Mrs Afua Owusuwa Appiah handing down the sentence said the court took into consideration the use of guns by the accused, the fact that items taken away from the family by the accused was not retrieved, the spate of robbery in the country and the seriousness of the offences.

According to the court, it also considered the fact that Osei was married with three kids and Asare was also married with two kids.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sylvester Asare prayed the court to hand down sentences which would serve as a deterrent to other likeminded people.

ASP Asare said the accused ought to be kept away for the good of the society.

Mr. Yaw Dankwah, counsel for the accused prayed the court to consider the two years that the accused person had spent in custody, adding that they have shown remorse during the trial.

Mr. Dankwah said the court’s punishment should be reformative and same must bring hope to the accused, adding that deterrent punishment has not been helpful.

Prosecution’s case was that the complainant is a chop bar operator at Apenkwa near Tesano but resides at Agya Appiah, near Amansaman with her family. Osei and Asare also reside at Amansaman and Joeman, near Ablekuma all in the Greater Accra Region respectively.

Prosecution said on March 16, 2019, the accused met and agreed to rob the complainant.

He said on March 16, this year, about 0100 hours, the complainant and her daughter were at home sleeping when Osei and Asare armed with a gun and machete broke into the house.

DSP Asare said the accused attacked the family and made away with 20 pieces of Holland wax prints, 20 pieces of GTP wax prints, ten pieces of Hi-Target fabrics, a 42 inch flat-screen TV, four mobile phones and cash of GHC3,500.00.

He said on June 20, 2019, Osei was arrested at Tema Station over a similar offence and during interrogation, he admitted the offence saying he sold the wax prints and flat-screen TV at GHC500.00 and GHC600.00 respectively to one Kweku Achaw and David Offei respectively.

The Prosecution said when Offei was arrested by the Police, he admitted that Osei sold to him 28 pieces of assorted wax print but he also sold same to one Felicia Adai Torto for GHC800.00

Prosecution said on February 21, 2020, Asare was arrested at Circle and during interrogation, he admitted that he and Osei robbed the complainant and her daughter at Amasaman on March 16, last year.