Glass fabricator jailed 15 years for robbery

An Accra Circuit Court on Thursday sentenced a Kwaku Osei, a Glass fabricator to 15 years imprisonment in hard labour for robbery. His accomplices named only as “Churches,” and “Keypad,” are however at large.

Osei, 19, alias “sketches,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit crime and robbing items and cash valued over GHC55,000.00.

Police Inspector Samuel Ahiabor told the Court presided over by Mrs Ruby Naa Aryeetey that the complainants are Abdulai Salifu, a Real Estate developer, Abdulai Alidu, trader and Kamal Issah, a footballer.

He said the complainants are siblings and reside at Achimota, Golf-Hills in Accra, whilst Osei had no fixed place of abode.

He said on April 12, at about 0400 hours, the convict and the two others with face masks and wielding guns, scaled the fence wall of the complainants’ storey building house and entered the compound.

The Prosecution said, the gang climbed the first floor of the house where the complainants were sleeping in their rooms and woke them up at gun point.

Inspector Ahiabor said, they ordered them to remain mute or they would be killed and proceeded to tie them with sponges and asked them to lie on the bare floor with their faces down.

He said the convict and his accomplices then ransacked their rooms and made away with money, electrical gadgets and other personal effects.

Mr Ahiabor said the items included: one Mac Book Laptop, two 56 G valued at GHC5,000.00; one I-phone and Plus Red, 256 G valued at GHc4,500.00; one I-phone 6S white, 128G valued at GHC2,000.00; and a JBL Bluetooth speaker valued at GHc600.00.

The rest were; two Nasco mobile phones, jewellery valued GHC700.00; and one G-shock wrist watch valued at GHC500.00 and an unspecified amount of cash.

The Prosecution said the complainants managed to free themselves after their assailants had left with the booty and reported the case to the Achimota Police Station.

He said at about 0500 hours that same morning, the police with the complainants tracked Osei to Alogboshie, also in Accra through one of the I-phones which had a tracker. He said the convict was found wearing one of the foot wears of the complainants and was arrested but the others escaped.

He said three laptops, one Bluetooth speaker, two watches, two Nokia mobile phones and two Nasco cellular phones, belonging to the complainants were retrieved from Osei.

The Prosecution said the convict in his cautioned statement admitted the offence and mentioned his accomplices as “Churches” and “Keypad”.

He said the convict also confessed to the police that “Churches” was their boss and always supplied the arms for their robbery operations.

He said Osei also told the Police that they came from Kumasi to carry out their operations which was masterminded by “Churches”.