"I was insane when I robbed my victims," - convict

Accra, July 25, GNA - A convict last Wednesday sent an Accra High Court into laughter when he told the court that he was insane when he and three other accomplices robbed employees of the Enyidado Industries of over 100 million cedis at the Korle-Bu Traffic Lights two years ago.

When the court presided over by Mr Justice Yaw Appau asked Philp Francis Cobbinah whether he and his accomplice, Robert Odatery Lamptey had any thing to say before the court convicts them on charges of conspiracy and robbery, Cobbinah showed some tablets to the court to saying that that "I was receiving treatment from the Accra Physicatriac Hospital for some time until this event occurred."

"I was insane when I robbed my victims but came back to my sense after I had been subjected to severe beatings by the mob who arrested me." "I did know what I had done, please consider me because I have children and a wife."

The trial judge said the convict could not prove his insanity and sentenced Cobbinah and Lamptey to 15 years' imprisonment each in hard labour after a seven-member jury returned a verdict of guilty. Lamptey also pleaded for leniency. Sentencing Cobbinah and Odartey, the trial judge, said the sentence was the maximum, adding that it should deter others and reform the convicts as well. Mr Anthony Gyambiby, Principal State Attorney, told the court that on January 19, 2001 a Lodgement Officer of the company and Mr Mustapha Ofori, a security man, were attacked at the Korle-Bu Traffic Light while conveying money to the bank.

Cobbinah slapped the Lodgement Officer and took a bag containing the money.

He joined a Nissan Sentra car with a fake registration number GT 9869 F, which was being driven by Lamptey and two others, now at large, and they sped off.

Samuel Amponsah, a taxi driver, chased them and the vehicle went into a gutter. Cobbinah, Lamptey and his accomplices took to their heels. Two of the accomplices escaped but Cobbinah and Lamptey were arrested by a group of people.

When their car was searched it was realized that the accused persons had replaced the original registration number plate of AS 9869 Q with fake registration number plate of GT 9869 F.

The Prosecution said 2,190 Deutsche Marks were retrieved. Cobbinah and Lamptey also admitted committing a series of similar offences.