Court jails three persons for conspiracy, robbery

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced three persons to 15 years imprisonment each for robbery.

The convicts, Francis Asare, a driver, George Menlah, a trader and Ishmael Amemu, a barber are to serve additional 15 years for conspiracy to commit crime.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

The convicts were sentenced on their own plea.

In sentencing the court took into consideration their plea for mercy and the one week spent in custody.

The court ordered that the vehicle retrieved be given back to the complainant.

Police Chief Inspector Kwabena Adu, the prosecuting officer, told the court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh that the convicts per their modus operandi chose to enrich themselves the easiest way without taking into consideration the judicial implication.

He said the complainant in the case was a taxi driver, who resides at old Bortianor.

He said on May 28, the convicts planned to snatch a taxi car and sell to one Wise, who is at large.

The prosecution said on May 29 at about 1:55 am, the complainant was driving the Toyota Yaris taxi with registration number GG2679-16 when he was attacked.

He said on reaching Awoshie Junction the convicts stopped him and hired his services to New Bortianor and on reaching a section of the road at Bortianor, they (convicts) asked him to stop which he obliged.

Suddenly, Ishmael who was sitting behind the driver, held his neck against the seat, whilst Francis stabbed his left hand with a screw driver.

“Eventually, the convicts pushed the complaint out of the car and drove off to Langma near Kokrobitey and hid it in the bush,” he added.

Chief Inspector Adu said later in the day the convicts went back to where the car was hidden waiting for the buyer but the natives in the area suspected their movement and confronted them but they sped off.

They were chased and Francis was arrested with the vehicle but George and Ishmael managed to escape.

On June 3, George and Ishmael were arrested at their hideout.