Two miners convicted for robbing a businesswoman

Two small-scale miners, who appeared before the Tarkwa Circuit Court for robbing a businesswoman of her gold and money totaling GH¢97,977, have been sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment each, with hard labour.

Eric Aheli, also known as Abiggy, and Steven Oppong, also known as Sabato, both 25 years old, pleaded guilty to the offence.

The two asked for mercy and promised not to commit such a crime again.

Prosecutor Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, informed the court presided over by Hathia Ama Manu that the complainant, Doris Zawu, along with Aheli, Oppong, and their accomplice Michael Arhin (who is at large), resided in Wassa Dompoase within the Wassa Amenfi East Municipality.

On February 20, 2024, after the complainant had retired to bed, around 1:00 AM, Aheli, Oppong, and Arhin entered her room armed with a single-barrel gun and robbed her of gold worth GH¢62,977 and a cash sum of GH¢35,000, after which they fled.

Superintendent Essel-Dadzie stated that the complainant reported the incident to the Nkonya police for investigation. During the investigation, the complainant identified the convicts, who were then apprehended by the police. A cash sum of GH¢4,255 and GH¢6,400 was retrieved from Aheli and Oppong, respectively.

She added that Aheli and Oppong admitted to selling the gold to a buyer in Wassa Akropong, but the police's efforts to apprehend the buyer were unsuccessful.

During the ruling, the judge ordered that Aheli be sent to the Sekondi Takoradi Prisons, while Oppong would serve his sentence at the Tarkwa Prisons.

Mrs. Manu also ordered the convicts to pay an amount of GH¢30,000 each to the complainant, which may be recovered through civil action.

Furthermore, she issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Michael Arhin and decreed that the GH¢10,655 retrieved from Aheli and Oppong should be given to the complainant.