Two Jailed 120 Year for Laptop Theft

There was weeping and gnashing of teeth at the Kumasi metropolitan assembly circuit court yesterday, when the judge sentenced two youngmen to a total of 120 years in hard labour for stealing laptop.

Shortly after the sentence was pronounced, relatives of the accused, mostly women, burst into tears and started wailing. The accused were also not left out as they wept uncontrollably.

Edward Kofi Ayigwenam, 20 artisan, and Anthony Kudzo, 21, alias Borbo, mechanic, both pleaded guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and armed robbery. They were each sentenced to 60 years.

They robbed a third year student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology of his laptop and its accessories, all valued at GHC 1, 800.00.

Passing the sentence, the court presided over by Mr. William Boampong observed that in recent times, armed robbery has been on the ascendancy in the region and hoped the sentence would serve as a deterrent for others.

Students of KNUST, particularly those staying in hotels have been at the mercy of armed robbers. Hardly a week passes, without any of them bely attacked by armed robbers.

Presenting the facts of the case, Inspector Kwabena Oduro-Boateng, told the court that on October 15, this year, at about 11:30pm around the University campus. The complainant, Felix Ewusi, was on his way home from studies, the two emerged from behind him, armed with knives and ordered him to stop or, be shot.

For fear of his life, complainant obliged, and was robbed of his Dell Laptop, modem, pendrives and mobile phone, all totaling GHC 1,800.00.

According to Inspector Oduro-Boateng, as the two were retreating, the complainant raised the alarm which attracted people to the scene.

He said the two armed robbers sought refuge in a nearby house while a call was placed to the police patrol team who quickly rushed to the scene.

With the assistance of landlord, the police searched the house and the two were arrested. A search on them revealed the knives, a chain and the stolen items.

They admitted the offence in their caution statement to the police.