Mason, accomplice, jailed 55 years for robbery

A 20 year-old mason from Mankranso in the Ashanti Region has been sentenced to a total of 30 years imprisonment in hard labour for colluding with others to rob passengers on the Wassa Afransie-Jukwa Road, in the Western Region.

Amadu Ibrahim, an accomplice, who pleaded guilty at the earlier stage of the trial, was handed a 25-year jail-term by the court.

Prosecuting, Detective Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah, told the Tarkwa Circuit Court that the complainants were business men and women based at Wassa Jukwa and its environs.

He said on May 5, this year, around 0100 hours, the convicts and their three accomplices: Salifu, Bukari and Burger, now at large, armed themselves with a locally manufactured single barrel shot gun, and travelled from Kumasi to Wassa Afransie-Jukwa to rob passengers.

According to the Prosecutor, at about 0500 hours on that same day, the criminals blocked the road with firewood and succeeded in robbing a cash sum of GHc31,500.00 and five mobile phones from passengers in a 207 Benz bus with registration number AS7797-14 and a Sprinter mini bus.

Inspector Amponsah said after the act, they bolted into a cocoa farm and after sharing their booty they decided that each of them should find their way back to Kumasi.

The convicts, who were not familiar with the road, passed through the bush from Wassa Jukwa were heading towards Wassa Juabo.

However, he said, while looking for a vehicle to board at Wassa Ayiem, Iddrisu and Ibrahim, were arrested by the town folks and were sent to the Wasa Juabo Police Station.

The judge, who presided over the matter, Mr. Justice Alex Obeng Asante, in his ruling ordered that two-thirds of a cash sum of GHc8,700.00 recovered from the convicts, should be given to Stephen Bassua, while one-third be given to Akua Sekyerewaa who were victims in the robbery.