Court jails notorious robber

Goaso (B/A), Nov. 1, GNA - A circuit court in Goaso in Asunafo North Municipality has sentenced a 29- year-old man described as a notorious armed robber to 30 years, nine months imprisonment. Alfred Boakye Acheampong was believed to be the leader of an armed robbery gang that robbed seven residents of four homes at Goaso on November 13, 2008.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Charles Arthur told the court presided by Mr. Osei Kwame Gyamfi that at about 0130 hours on that day Acheampong, who was resident in Accra, deployed the gang to Goaso for mass robbery.

The prosecutor said before the police had a tip-off about the incident the robbers had robbed the four houses and fled. Chief Inspector Arthur gave the names of the robbery victims as Mr. Michael Agyei, a Unilever distributor, Mr. George Baryeh, a timber merchant, Mr. Iddi Omaro, a businessman, Mr. Kingsley Asante, a banker, Ms. Veronica Adoko, Mr. Emmanuel Tuffour and Mr. Kwame Boakye.

He said the robbers took away a Benz saloon car belonging to Mr. Baryeh, mobile phones and an unspecified amount of Ghana cedis and foreign currencies from the victims at gun-point.

The police had information about the movement of the robbers and mounted a search for them during which they arrested one Amankwah Marfo at Bibiani and found four mobile phones, 25 dollars and some Ghana cedis on him.

Chief Inspector Arthur said upon interrogation Marfo mentioned Acheampong as the leader of the gang so the police sent a message to all police stations in the country for the arrest of Acheampong and his accomplices who were believed to be hiding in Accra and in possession of two AK 47 assault rifles.

He said on November 25 in 2008 Acheampong who had fled to Nungua, a suburb of Accra, was arrested by the police and later transferred to Goaso.

The police has mounted a search for Marfo who jumped bail during his trial and four others who are yet to be arrested.