Kumasi, Nov 3, GNA - A Kumasi circuit court has sentenced three armed robbers to a total of 180 years imprisonment. Issaka Abubakar, 27, Gideon Adjei alias Nana Yaw, 32, both drivers, and Aminu Mohammed, 24, a labourer, would each serve 60 years. Alhassan Nifal Bobdal, a 28-year-old phone repairer who provided the arms used for the robbery, was jailed 25 years. They all pleaded not guilty.

The police have mounted a search for a fifth person, whose name was not given. The court presided over Mr Justice Adjei Frimpong heard from Mr William Kpobi, a Chief State Attorney, that the convicts robbed Mr Kingsl= ey Asiamah, a taxi driver, and Ms Lucy Afram, a teacher who doubles as petty= trader.

The teacher was robbed amidst gunshots at Boko in the Atwima Kwanwoma District on October 3 at about 2030 hours. She was in her shop when a vehicle the robbers were using pulled=

up. They asked for water and as Ms Afram was in the process of serving th= em, they started firing shots to scare away people in the neighbourhood. They fled with two mobile phones, GH¢120 and some goods in the=

shop. The Chief State Attorney said three days later Abubakar hired a t= axi Mr Asiamah was driving from Asafo to Bantama to pick an uncle. When they got to a traffic light at Bantama at about 2330 hours, Abubakar asked the cab driver to stop for the uncle to get on board and h= e obliged. Adjei, Mohammed and their colleague on the run appeared and point= ed locally made pistols at him to surrender the ignition key of the vehicle. He did as he was told and Abubakar got behind the wheels. They ordered that he handed over money made for the day and he complied. At a point, they started arguing among themselves whether to kill= or leave him alive and in the confusion Abubakar lost control of the cab and= it went into a ditch. Asiamah raised the alarm and the three escaped leaving Abubakar behind who was arrested and handed over to the police by people attracted= to the scene. He led the police to arrest the others. Locally produced pistols,=

eight live cartridges, a mask and a pair of gloves were retrieved from Bobdal's room at the Race Course. Ms Afram identified the convicts after their arrest.