Unemployed gets 10 years for attempting to rob

An Accra Circuit Court on Monday sentenced one Desmond Ampong, unemployed to 10 years imprisonment in hard labour for attempting to commit crime to wit robbery.

Desmond pleaded not guilty to the charge but was found guilty of the crime after full trial.

Presiding judge, Mr Aboagye Tandor, delivering judgment said the convict was inconsistent in his evidence and if not for the shout of the complainant, which drew the attention of neighbours, he would have succeeded in robbing her.

He said in the convict's attempt to rob, he threatened the complainant with a knife, making it a premeditated act.

Mr Tandor said the evidence provided by the prosecution was beyond reasonable doubt to establish his guilt, and therefore was found guilty.

He said he took into consideration the plea of the convict for mitigation and the fact that he had already spent almost four weeks in custody.

Earlier the prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Patience Mario told the court that the complainant is a student and lives at Teshie Zakaria, while the convict is unemployed and lives at Nungua C5.

She said on September 12, the complainant had a call from her friend, to meet her boyfriend for a gift, and because it was late, she was in a hurry to return home.

The prosecution said suddenly on her way back, Desmond rushed on her and pulled out a knife and asked her to surrender her mobile phone, but she started running and shouting for help, while the convict chased her.

She told the court that the complainant eventually fell on the ground and pleaded with Desmond to spare her.

DSP Mario said the convict, upon noticing that the complainant’s shout brought people around the scene, took to his heels, but was chased by the neighbours and was arrested and sent to the police station.

She said Desmond admitted the offence in his caution statement.