Fidelity Bank Staff jailed 15 years for robbery

A 27-year-old Vault Assistant at the Kaneshie Fidelity Bank was Thursday sentenced to 15 years imprisonment with hard labour for attempting to rob the bank.

The convict, Osman Abdul Gafaru and one Caesar, currently on the run, at about 7:30pm on November 11 last year, broke into the bank.

According to the prosecutor, Chief Inspector K. Adu, the two conspired to rob the bank. However, Osman was charged with attempted robbery, unlawful entry and causing damage to the door of the bank worth GH¢1,000.

Although the convict denied the charges, the court presided over by Aboagye Tandoh found him guilty on all the charges except that of conspiracy.

The judge, however, acquitted and discharged him on the charge of conspiracy and jailed him for 15 years for attempted robbery.

The court also sentenced Osman to three months each for the charge of unlawful entry and causing unlawful damage.

Facts

The complainant Bless Ayikoe is a security man working with Checks and Alerts Security Services, resident at Laterbiokoshie in Accra.

On November 20, 2016, one Thomas Aboagie, a security man of the same security company and a witness in the case was on duty at the bank from 6am to 6pm.

According to the prosecution, he was waiting for his relief who had not reported after 6pm and therefore left the post to buy food.

In his absence Osman and Caesar came in at 7:30pm, went for the keys, opened the gate, entered the premises of the bank at Kaneshie and locked the main gate.

With the aid of a pinch bar and claw hammer, the two broke into the bank.

Whilst Osman was inside operating, Caesar was outside spying.

On the complainant’s arrival, he knocked severally but his colleague did not respond, he then climbed into the yard but Caesar attacked him with a military knife and stabbed him in his right palm and forehead.

The complainant who started bleeding profusely screamed for help and a group of young men came to his aid.

Osman on hearing the scream attempted to escape but he was arrested by the mob together with a bag containing a pair of handcuffs, two masks, a twin claw hammer and a pinch bar.

Osman in his caution statement admitted the offence.