Apau and Donkor leaving the court
Three persons who robbed Albert Kan Dapaah, the former Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of his belongings, have been sentenced to a total of 90 years’ imprisonment by an Accra Circuit court.
Two others, Isaac Kene, tiler and David Ahortor, watchman who were standing trial over 14 counts of conspiracy to rob and robbery, were each slapped with a 35-year jail term.
Appau and the others, the prosecution said, together with one Emmanuel Tetteh and Attuquaye Clottey, still at large, on September 25, 2012 robbed Mr. Dapaah of his mini laptop computer worth GHc1,500, four set of jewellery valued at GHc3,000, a pistol with 25 rounds of ammunition, $1,000 and GHc500 cash.
Gabriel Donkor, a mobile phone and laptop dealer, was also handed a 15-year jail term for dishonestly receiving the booty.
The court, presided over by Justice Francis Obiri, expressed worry over the upsurge of robbery in the country.
While sentencing Appau and Donkor, Justice Obiri said robbery has become a daily occurrence in the country, adding that many of the cases are not reported.
The trial judge accordingly sentenced Appau to 15 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and 20 years for robbery.
Justice Obiri said David, who behaved like a beast, raped the wife of the first witness in the case on her matrimonial bed.
Earlier, Chief Inspector Eddie Afful, holding the brief for Fred Awindago for the prosecution, said the accused persons must be punished drastically.
If those who buy stolen items fail to do so, armed robbers would not carry out such operations, Mr Awindago said.
The prosecution said at about 11:41 pm on the said date, the complainant arrived home in his Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vehicle with registration number GW 2726-12 and his watchman opened the gate for him to enter the house.
He noted that as soon as his watchman Adamu Issaka was about to close the gate, three young men armed with guns attacked the watchman and the complainant at gunpoint.
The prosecutor said the accused persons fired shots to the right and left tyres of the vehicle, searched Mr Dapaah and his watchman and proceeded to his room upstairs to steal the afore-stated items.
The prosecution said that they fled the scene afterwards and a report was made to the police.
The police officer noted that on October 12, 2012 police intelligence led to the arrest of Gator Joseph, who denied involvement.
Joseph, he said, told the police that Tetteh Attoquay and Aaron embarked on the operation and he was consequently arrested.
According to the prosecutor, Joseph took them to the house of Donkor.
The police officer stated that Donkor admitted receiving the laptop which he sold to Rabbi at GH¢700.
He noted Rabbi also said he bought the laptop from Donkor and sold it to someone who has not been identified by the police.
70 yrs for Isaac, David
Isaac and David were said to have also attacked six separate families, including that of a serving police officer at Galilee, a suburb of Kasoa at 12am on June 29, 2015.
They succeeded in robbing the complainants of various sums of money and valuables worth millions of cedis.
