A Bekwai circuit court in the Ashanti Region has sentenced one of three suspected armed robbers arrested early this week to a total of 37 years for conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery.

Abubakari Salifu, 23, was convicted after he had admitted robbing the complainant of GH¢10,740 with two conspirators on September 1, 2014, at Manso-Abore in the Amansie West District.

He was jailed 12 years for conspiracy to commit crime and 25 years for robbery – contrary to sections 23(1) and 149 of Act 29/60 – by the court presided over by Fredrick Enold Kwasi Nawura.

The court remanded into custody the other two accused persons, Bright Adakwah, 19, and Akwasi Nyarko, 20, who were standing trial with the new convict, after the court entered a plea of not guilty for them following their attempt to explain their involvement.

They are expected back in court on September 17, 2014, for the trial to continue.

Police prosecutor, Detective Sergeant Stephen Ofori, informed the court that the complainant, Yaw Sam, is a gold merchant and native of Manso-Abore, while the accused persons claimed to be miners in the area.

According to him, on September 1, 2014, at about 3:30 pm, while the victim was on his way to a gold mining site, convict Abubakari, who was trailing him (Yaw Sam), attacked him with a machete from behind.

Prosecution said Abubakari slashed the victim at the back of his neck at a T-junction where the second accused person, Bright Adakwah had laid ambush.

Sgt Ofori intimated that the third accused person, Akwasi Nyarko, joined in the attack after the two robbers had dragged the victim into a nearby bush where Nyarko was lying in wait as part of the grand scheme.

He disclosed that the trio tied up the victim and subjected him to severe beatings which rendered Yaw Sam unconscious.

The accused persons, thereafter, took away the victim’s bag that contained GH¢10,740 and two mobile phones valued at GH¢220.00.

Prosecution revealed that some women who were returning home from farm found the victim in a pool of blood.

Detective Sgt. Ofori said inhabitants of Manso-Kyenkyenase community arrested Abubakari and handed him over to the police, while he was on his way to meet his conspirators in Kumasi with intent to share their booty.

An amount of GH¢1,600 was found on Abubakari upon a search conducted on him. The money was contained in a bag belonging to the victim.

Abubakari led the police to arrest other members of the gang and were arraigned before court on Wednesday.