Kumasi, April 6, GNA - A Kumasi Circuit Court has sentenced John Asante, member of a robbery gang, to six years in jail for robbery. Two of his accomplices, Kwame Anokye and Yaw Nkansah were also jailed five years each after pleading guilty to the offence. Asante was among a 14-member robbery gang arrested by the Ashanti Regional Police Command last year.
The court however granted bail to three others, Yaw Adjei, Naomi Asante and Akosua Foriwaa in the sum of GH¢10,000 each with a surety each to be justified. They have pleaded guilty to the charge and will re-appear before the court on April 15, 2009.
Osei Kwabena, another member, who changed his initial plea of not guilty to guilty and pleaded for leniency, was remanded in prison custody.
Seven others were also mentioned as accomplices in the case and they will reappear in court on April 15. They are Afia Tsetse, Yaw Owusu, Nancy Tweneboah, Patricia Yeboah, Kwabena Nketia, Eric Dwamena and Patrick Nimoh. Police Chief Inspector Alice Ansah, prosecuting, said the gang was believed to have been operating in Santasi Ohwim and other suburbs in the Kumasi Metropolis. The court heard that the accused normally picked their unsuspecting victims with a taxi occupied by a lady or two in order not to raise any suspicion.
After picking their victims the taxi would divert to isolated routes during which the robbers would attack and rob the passenger of valuables, especially cell phones.
