Trader jailed 20 years for robbing IMF Country Director

Mohammed Buzu, a 29-year-old trader, has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in hard labour for robbing the Country Director of International Monetary Fund (IMF), Dr Oral William, and another person.

An Accra Circuit Court sentenced Buzu to 15 years imprisonment on the charge of robbery and five years on the charge of causing harm.

This was after the Court had found him guilty on those charges and sentenced him accordingly.

The sentences are to run consecutively.

Buzu, after the robbery on January 18, last year, slashed Dr William's left hand with a machete.

Two other accomplices; Kenneth Antwi and Baffour Adjei Gyimah, were, however, discharged by the Court during the course of the trial.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Martin Adu-Acheampong narrated that the first complainant, Dr William, an Economist, and the second complainant, Mrs Claudia Allen William, a teacher, were both residents of Cantonments in Accra.

Chief Inspector Adu-Acheampong said Buzu resided at Dansoman and on January 18, this year, at about 0300 hours, Dr William heard a noise emanating from his bathroom and decided to check what was going on, only to see Buzu armed with a machete, cutter and a pair of the plier.

The prosecution said Buzu ordered Dr William to surrender all his monies but Dr William told him he had no money on him.

It said when the second complainant heard her husband exchanging words with somebody, she tried to ascertain who the person was and Buzu on seeing her, ordered her to lie down.

The prosecution said Buzu demanded that the two complainants showed him where they kept their monies but the complainants told him they did not have money in the house.

It said Buzu they raised the machete to slash Mrs William but her husband blocked it with his left hand, slashing his hand in the process.

Buzu then robbed them of their iPhone X valued t $1,000, one Samsung J7 valued at $220, one Blue Vivo 5 Smartphone valued at $165, Kate Spade black leather bag valued at $400, a wallet valued at $100, one sunglass valued at $300, cash in the sum GHC200 and $200, all totalling GHC14,695 and bolted.

It said Dr William was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital and later flown to South Africa for further treatment.

The prosecution said on January 18, last year, a report was made to the Police at Cantonment and during investigations, the Police tracked the victim’s iPhone to Pokuase on February 15, where a witness in the case was arrested and the phone was retrieved.