Car-washer, 19, jailed 25 years for robbery

The Tarkwa Circuit Court has sentenced Amadu Ibrahim, a 19 year-old car-washer, to 25 years imprisonment in hard labour for conspiring and robbing passengers on the Wasa Afransie-Jukwa Road in the Western Region.

The convict pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit crime and robbery.

He and his accomplices succeeded in taking away five mobile phones and cash of 31,500 from the victims.

One of the accomplices Musah Iddrisu, a 20 year-old mason, however, pleaded not guilty to both charges and was remanded into prison custody to re-appear on May 20 for judgment.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Oscar Amponsah told the court on Tuesday, presided by Mr Justice Obeng Asante, that the complainants were businessmen and women based at Wasa Jukwa and its environs while Ibrahim worked at Ash-town, a suburb of Kumasi, and resided at Mankranso in the Ashanti Region.

He said around 1.00 a.m. on May 5, this year, Ibrahim, Iddrisu, and their other accomplices; Salifu, Bukari and Burger now at large, armed themselves with locally manufactured single barrel guns and travelled from Kumasi to Wasa Afransie-Jukwa with a Mercedes Benz Saloon car and laid ambush by the roadside waiting for vehicles to rob.

Chief Inspector Amponsah said at about 0500 hours, Ibrahim, Iddrisu and their accomplices blocked the road with firewood and succeeded in robbing the passengers on board a 207 Benz bus with registration number AS7797-14 and a Sprinter bus.

He said after the act, they entered a cocoa farm and shared the money after which each of them found his way back to Kumasi.

The Prosecutor said Ibrahim and Iddrisu, who were not familiar with the road, passed through the bush from Wasa Jukwa and headed towards Wasa Juabo.

Chief Inspector Amponsah said while looking for a vehicle to board at Wasa Ayiem, they were arrested by the town folks and taken to the Wasa Juabo Police Station.

He said when a search was conducted on them at the police station, 2,600 Ghana cedis was found on Ibrahim while 3,000 Ghana cedis was found on Iddrisu.

Chief Inspector Amponsah said Ibrahim admitted the offense in his caution statement and mentioned Iddrisu, Salifu, Bukari and Burger as his accomplices who came from Kumasi to Jukwa for the robbery.

He said Ibrahim and Iddrisu were later handed over to the police at Wasa Akropong for further investigation.