The Juaben Circuit Court in the Ashanti Region, presided by Rosemarie Afua Asante, has sentenced a 19- year-old tailor to 17 years’ imprisonment in hard labour.
The convict, Emmanuel Agyei, alias Nana Agyei James, was jailed by his own plea of guilty to a count of robbery, contrary to section 149 of the criminal offences Act 29/60.
Presenting the facts of the case to the court,Chief Inspector Jessie Ashangmor, who led the prosecution, said both the complainant Michael Amoani ia a businessman and lives at Serwaakura near Ejisu.
He said that for some time now there have been series of robberies along Serwaakura and Asamang road and efforts made to apprehend the perpetrators had yielded no results.
On March 3, this year, at about 2:15 am, complainant who had arrived from Winneba and was going home was robbed by the convict of his Samsung A22 mobile phone valued at GHS1, 500.00, one ipod and ear piece valued GHS500.00, Two Techno Key Pad phones valued at GHS250.00 and a cash sum of GHS315.00, all to the tune of GHS2, 665.00.
Prosecution continued that, complainant whilst walking home and reaching a section of the road at a drinking spot saw the convict lingering around the said Spot called ‘Ten Point Drinking Spot’.
The accused person who had already harboured his evil deeds passed by the complainant and went ahead to hide in the dark awaiting for him to reach there.
Chief Inspector Ashangmor stated that as soon as the complainant reached the spot where the convict was hiding, he (convict) emerged from his hideout with an object and forcibly snatched the complainant’s bag that contained the above mentioned items and took to his heels.
The complainant quickly informed neighbours and other friends who live within the same neighbourhood of his plight.
On the same day at about 7:00 am, the complainant received a call from one Dorothy Serwaa who happened to be the convict’s mother, that she had found his bag behind her backyard.
Michael Amoani swiftly went to the accused person mother’s house and identified the bag as his but his items were nowhere to be found.
The complainant reported the matter to the police at Ejisu and whiles a manhunt for the convict was ongoing, intelligence led to his hideout at Abenase where he was arrested.
Convict admitted to the offence in caution statement to the police but claimed that bhe took the Samsung A22 mobile phone and the two Techno Keypad phones to Ejisu and sold them to someone at a cost of GHS370.00 but failed to name the buyer.
In sentencing the Accused, the Presiding Judge said, “I have considered the accused person who stated that he has nothing to say and did not plead for mitigation. The accused did not waste the time of the court. However in sentencing, I will move away from the minimum sentence of 15 years in that 1.
The accused carried his robbery by way of premeditation, 2. Seeing the complainant 3. Walking past of complainant and laying ambush at an ungodly hour of 2:00am. I will therefore give the sentence to deter 19- year-old and young from continuing robbery. Also the things were not found, I however sentence the accused to 17 years In Hard Labour.”
David Affum | Kumasi
