Sim card vendor jailed 20 years

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a sim card vendor to 20 years imprisonment in hard labour for robbing a hairdresser of GH¢2,000.00, USD1,400 and other personal effects.

Isaac Aigbona, 24, a Nigerian, was also charged for conspiracy to commit crime, causing unlawful harm to one Emmanuel Botchway, the houseboy of the complainant and kidnapping.

He pleaded guilty to all the counts and was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in hard labour for the robbery, eight years each for causing unlawful harm and kidnapping with the sentences to run concurrently.

His accomplice, only named as Charles is at large.

Prosecuting, Police Inspector Samuel Ahiabor told the court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh that Atlanta Frimpong, the complainant is a resident of Achimota Mile 7, in Accra, while Botchway, 22, is a houseboy of the complainant.

He said on April 1, at about 2130 hours, the complainant returned from work and parked her Nissan Murrano 4x4 on her compound.

The Prosecution said when she got into her sitting room, Aigbona and Charles who were already in there held her hostage with an implement that looks like a pistol.

He said they tied her hands and legs and demanded that she gave all the money in her bag as well as all she had in the house to them or they would kill her.

He said while Aigbona pointed the implement at her, Charles also pointed a kitchen knife he had picked from the complainant’s kitchen and she fearing for her life handed over her handbag containing the GH¢2,000.00, USD1,400, they also removed her golden ring and necklace.

The Prosecution said whilst they held her in the sitting room, Aigbona noticed that Botchway had entered the compound, and Charles went to march him into the sitting room by pointing the knife at him and ordered him also to lie down.

He said whiles Botchway was on the floor, Aigbona pulled out a piece of metal and hit his head severally with it until he fell unconscious in a pool of blood.

The Prosecution said the robbers then packed the complainant’s husband’s personal effects into four Ecolac bags, loaded the bags into her car, blindfolded her and forced her into the vehicle with her hands and legs still tied.

He said Charles drove the car from Achimota Mile 7 to a bush near Amasaman Agric with Aigbona pointing the knife at her to keep her head down.

Inspector Ahiabor said they later released her after several attempts to reach her husband who was then in Kumasi to demand money failed.

The Prosecution said luck eluded them when a Police Patrol Team chanced on the vehicle but Charles managed to run with the booty but Aigbona was arrested and the complainant rescued.

He said Botchway was also sent to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital and is currently receiving treatment at the Emergency Ward.