Ama Busia robbers get 40 years

Two young men suspected to be among a three-man gang that robbed Ama Brema Busia, a former Member of the Council of State, of various amounts of money were yesterday handed a total of 40 years’ imprisonment.

They are Godsway Nutakor aka Papisco, 25, former houseboy of the victim and Bright Asamoah aka Nana Yaw Asaase, 19, a carpenter.

The accused persons allegedly bolted to Nigeria where they were seeking refuge after Paul Afari, a 22-year-old carpenter and member of the gang who confessed to the robbery, had been jailed 25 years by the same court.

The two were alleged to have on March 22, 2015 at about 8am at Abelemkpe, a suburb of Accra, robbed the complainant of amounts of money in various currencies – $35,500; €3,000; £300 and GH¢25,000.

Making their first appearance in a court presided over by Justice Francis Obiri sitting with additional responsibility as a circuit court judge yesterday, the accused persons admitted the charges of conspiracy and robbery.

They were accordingly convicted on their pleas.

Justice Obiri accordingly sentenced Godsway and Bright to 20 years for the charge of conspiracy and 20 years for robbery, to run concurrently.

The prosecution had said that Godsway was a former house help to Madam Ama Busia and that on the said date the complainant left home to attend church service at Calvary Methodist, Adabraka in Accra, leaving behind three of her house helps.

The prosecutor said soon after she had left, the houseboy, one Simon Tawiah, heard a knock at the main gate and he met Paul and Bright standing there.

He said the accused person forcibly opened the door to the woman’s bedroom with a pinch bar and hammer, opened her metal safe and eventually made away with the afore-stated monies.