23-year-old farmer jailed 49 years
A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 49 years in prison for robbing a University of Ghana level 100 student of his iPhone and a cash of GH¢ 470.
The convict, Yakubu Issah, a farmer, who went on a robbery spree with his accomplice, currently on the run, fired shots at the victim who was on his knees begging for his life to be spared, but the shots misfired.
Advertisement
Issah pleaded guilty to the count of possession of firearms and ammunition, and one count of robbery.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the count of conspiracy to rob.
The court, presided over by Ms Patricia Amponsah, sentenced Issah to five and 49 years in prison on the count of possession of firearms and robbery, respectively.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
Facts
The prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Evans Kesse, told the court that about 12:00 a.m. on November 11, this year, the complainant, in his Range Rover, drove from his house to buy food at Agbogba, Madina.
The prosecutor said upon the complainant’s return at 12:30 am, he came out of his car to open the gate and the accused persons suddenly accosted him and ordered him to surrender all his belongings.
ASP Kesse said the complainant refused to do so but Issah’s accomplice, Yaw, shot the complainant on his forehead but it misfired, prompting the accused to also shoot the complainant on his head which also misfired.
The complainant, on seeing that the accused persons' pistols could not hurt him, raised an alarm for help.
“The accused persons in the process succeeded to rob the complainant of his one iPhone, 12 Pro Max mobile phone valued at GH¢7,000 and a cash of GH¢470, which his accomplice took away along with the other belongings,” the complainant said.
The complainant, he said, thereafter managed to struggle and hold the accused until people came around, adding “all witnesses in this case came to the scene and rescued the complainant”.
Arrest
According to the prosecutor, a police patrol team within the area quickly moved to the scene, after a distress call, to arrest and convey the accused to Ayi Mensah Police Station.
The case was then forwarded to the Regional CID, Accra, for further investigation.
ASP Kesse said upon interrogation, the accused admitted he brought the two Retay Falcon pistols and ammunitions from Pussiga, Northern Region, to Accra for their operations by concealing them in a local rice to be given to his accomplice,Yaw, who is on the run.
He added that the accused said on November 11, he and his accomplice left Circle, their place of abode, to commence their robbery operation at the scene.
The prosecutor said on seeing the complainant, the accused persons quickly attacked and robbed the complainant with their pistols.