Labourer gets 20 years for robbery

An Accra Circuit Court on Monday handed a 20-year jail term to one Richard Amakwah, a labourer, for conspiracy to commit crime and robbery.

Richard, who pleaded not guilty to both charges, is to serve 20 years for conspiracy to commit crime and 20 years for robbery. Both sentences are to run concurrently.

He stole two mobile phones worth Ghc500.00 belonging to Sonia Bataebo and Abigail Owusu.

The presiding Judge, Mr. Francis Obiri, said robbery has been on the increase and especially as Easter is approaching, people of his calibre do not deserve to be part of the community, but must be kept away from the reach of the society.

He said the convict deserved a harsher sentence to serve as a deterrent to others.

Prosecuting Police Inspector K. Adu, said the complainants were students of the University of Ghana while the convict is a labourer and resides at Tema Community 9.

He said at about 2255 hours on February 22, the complainants were walking separately on a bush path towards their hall of residence when the convict emerged from the bush and attacked the first complainant, threatened her with a knife and collected her mobile phone.

He said Richard then proceeded to attack the second complainant, pulled a sharp knife on her and again ordered her to surrender her phone.

Prosecution said when the second complainant tried to run away, the convict kicked her, slashed her palm with the knife and succeeded in taking her mobile phone.

He said the complainants shouted for help and attracted the attention of some passers-by, who chased the convict and arrested him.

Richard admitted the offences in his caution statement when he was sent to the police station.

Mr. Adu said the second complainant was issued with a medical form to receive medical treatment.