Accra, Feb. 27, GNA - An Accra Fast Track High Court on Monday sentenced Aryee Ayeetey, alias Ataa Ayi and three others to long terms of imprisonment for robbing an Accra firm of 70 million cedis. The Court presided over by Mr P. Baffoe Bonney sentenced Ataa Ayi to 70 years while Samuel Kweku Anane, alias Sammy Tugah, Roger Kobla Agbodoga, alias Rojay and Raymond Ameh, were jailed for 69 years each. They pleaded not guilty.

They were found guilty of conspiracy and robbery.

The case for Prosecution was that on October 14, 2003, Mr Bernard Boadi Agyeman, Managing Director of Prism Consult Limited, sent one of his workers, Ilaisu Mamudi, to cash a cheque for 70 million cedis from the Opeibea House branch of the Standard Chartered Bank, near Kotoka International Airport.

After cashing the money, which was put in a bag, Mamudu saw Isaac Yanney, Managing Director of Investhec Company Limited, who said he had an appointment with Mr Boadi at his office at Dzorwulu. Mr Yanney, therefore, offered Mamudu a lift in his car and the money was put into the boot.

On their way to the office the convicts, who were using a salon car trailed their vehicle till they got to the office in Dzorwulu. The Prosecution said as soon as they parked their vehicle, the accused persons parked behind them, got off their car and started shooting indiscriminately.

They ordered their victim and the other to run away from the scene or risk being shot.

The Prosecution said the accused persons fired several times at the boot of Mr Yanney's vehicle and forced it open, took the bag containing 70million cedis and fled.

On December 18, 2003 Sammy Tugah and Agbodoga were arrested on a tip-off and during interrogation mentioned Ameh and Ata Ayi as their accomplices.