Three thieves jailed 24 years for stealing AK47 rifle from cop

Three persons have been jailed eight (8) years each for stealing an AK47 rifle from a police officer at Asesewa in the Eastern Region.

The suspects were reported to have sold the AK47 rifle for Ghc1,000.

The convicts – Kofi Osakonor, 24, a farmer, Isaac Agyemang, 19, masonry apprentice and Sarkodie Solomon, 20, an apprentice in barbering, all pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit crime to wit stealing, Stealing, and Dishonestly receiving.

Before delivering the Judgement on Tuesday, October 8, 2019, one of the convicts -Isaac Agyemang prayed for the sentence to mitigated by appealing to the Judge, Her Honour Mercy Addei Kotei, to consider them as her children who have sinned and be lenient to them since they are first time offenders.

The Prosecuting Officer – Cyril Boateng Keteku, an Assistant State Attorney narrated to the Court that, the Convicts conspired on and stole the AK47 riffle plus 20 rounds of ammunition from a BMW private car belonging to Lance Corporal Roland Agbovi which was parked at Alema Preparatory School compound.

The Police Officer, according to the prosecutor was expected to be on guard duties at the residence of the District Chief Executive on the fateful night of September 3, 2019 but went home to Sleep.

The Police Officer was arrested the following day after failing to account for the riffle and ammunition.

The Prosecutor – Cyril Boateng Keteku – explained that intelligence picked by Asesewa District Police Command led to the arrest of the three convicts who admitted the offence.

The Convicts explained that on a fateful day about 10pm they came across the BMW Car which doors were unlocked while the inside light was on.

Upon seeing the rifle, the convicts conspired and stole it. Solomon Sarkodie, kept the rifle while they searched for a buyer.

On September 20,2019 the convicts conveyed the rifle and 20 ammunition in a traveling bag to Somanya and gave it to Kwashievi alias Gosholo now at large.

Kwashevi test fired the rifle after which he handed it over including 17 ammunition to the buyer identified as Wallace also at Large who paid Ghc1000 to the three convicts who shared the amount and returned to Asesewa.

Somanya District Police intelligence led to the retrieval of the AK47 rifle and 17 ammunition from a bush along Somanya to Aperede road where Wallace reportedly kept it in a bamboo grove.