Blacksmith jailed 15 years for robbery

Accra, March 24, GNA - A 28-year-old blacksmith who led a gang to rob traders under the Kwame Nkrumah Circle overhead bridge and made away with four mobile phones and an unspecified amount of money has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court. Wahab Salifu aka Van Dam was found guilty on charges of conspiracy and robbery.

His accomplice, Yahaya Haruna, was acquitted for lack of evidence to link him.

The case of the prosecution was that complainants were traders at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, who sell mobile phones and jeans trousers. Salifu and Haruna lived at Neoplan and the Articulator Station respectively.

On November 10, 2008 at about 11:45pm the four complainants were in an enclosed space watching television when a group of young men led by Salifu invade the place and asked them to surrender their mobile phones and monies= .. Armed with machetes, Salifu and his gang made away with four mobile phones and unspecified the money. One of the complainants, Desmond Botah who resisted the attack was beaten severely. A report was however made to the Police. On reaching there Salifu and his gang had absconded. The Police however chased them and arrested Haruna at their hideout but he denied taking part in the robbery. Haruna however mentioned Salifu who was picked up.