Three bag 100 years for robbery

A phone repairer and two others have been sentenced to a total of 100 years imprisonment in hard labour by an Accra Circuit Court for robbing a household of jewelries worth GH¢3,000.

Dominic Kofi Anim and Stanley Goka, alias Gameli, armed with screwdrivers invaded the household of the complainant in broad daylight and threatened to kill him if he refuses to hand over all the monies in the house. The son of the complainant, together with his father, who did not take the threat lightly, began struggling with Dominic Kofi Anim and Stanley Goka over the jewelries they had robbed.

Both convicts, in the course of the struggle stabbed both father and son on several parts of their bodies and attempted to escape. Stanley Goka succeeded in escaping, whereas Dominic Kofi Anim, who was not lucky, was arrested by the complainant with the help of people around.

He in turn mentioned Stanley Goka, alias Gameli, and Yaw Berko as his accomplices, upon his arrest. All convicts face the charge of conspiracy whilst Dominic Kofi Anim and Stanley Goka were charged with robbery as an additional charge.

All convicts had earlier pleaded not guilty to all the charges leveled against them but were later found guilty by the court after the prosecution had been able to provide enough evidence to prove all the allegations against them.

The court sentenced all three convicts to 20 years each on the first counts and Dominic Kofi Anim and Stanley Goka to 40 years each on the second counts. Sentences are to be served concurrently.

The underlining facts are that on April 2011, at about 11:30am, the complainant was relaxing in his sofa in the living room of his apartment when he heard footsteps coming towards him.

Senior State Attorney, Rita Doko, told the court that complainant woke up only to see two young men, armed with a screwdriver and threatening to kill him if he did not surrender his money. The complainant, out of fear told them to follow him to his bedroom, which they did.

She said the complainant’s son, who was in his room heard what was going on, so he came out to meet the armed men pointing the screw driver at his father, adding that the son as a result tried to help, but it turned out to be a fight between the armed men, the complainant and his son.

According to her, in the course of the fight, Dominic Kofi Anim stabbed the complainant on the left rib with a screw driver, whilst Stanley Goka also stabbed the complainant’s son at different parts of the body, including the arm and the head.

She mentioned that the complainant then raised an alarm and the robbers, sensing danger, attempted to bolt with their booty. Stanley Goka jumped over the wall with the stolen jewelries worth GH¢3, 000. “Dominic Kofi Anim also attempted to jump over the wall but was held back by the complainant’s son and he began shouting; “Gameli, Gameli, are you leaving me behind?”

Gameli, who was at the period behind the wall, tried to help Dominic Kofi Anim to jump, but the complainant used a stick to hit his leg to prevent him from escaping,” the prosecutor stated.. The Senior State Attorney emphasized to the court that Gameli then bolted with the jewelries in a waiting taxi which was driven by Yaw Berko, whilst Dominic Kofi Anim was arrested by the complainant with the help of people around.

She said Dominic Kofi Anim was handed over to police, where he admitted to the offence in his caution statement and mentioned Stanley Goka, alias Gameli, and Yaw Berko as his accomplice. “Dominic Kofi Anim later led the police to arrest Stanley Goka and Yaw Berko. The complainant identified Gameli at an identification parade held at the Accra Regional Police,” she added.