Sunyani, June 4, GNA - Two Kumasi-based armed robbers arrested by the police in Sunyani last Friday while on their way to Techiman to sell a stolen Opel Astra taxi cab were on Tuesday sentenced to a total of 30 years imprisonment by a circuit court at Fiapre, near Sunyani. The robbers, Alhassan Malik, 37, driver and Rockson Arthur, 28, carpenter both pleaded guilty to the charge of robbery and were sentenced to 15 years imprisonment each in hard labour. The two snatched the taxi cab from the driver at knife point at Antwikrom, near Sunyani.

Chief Inspector Alex Fosu told the court presided by Mr. John Owusu that at on May 30 the robbers hired the taxi driven by one Kwaku Edward in Sunyani to be taken to Antwikrom where they alleged their KIA vehicle had broken down.

He said on reaching Antwikrom they instructed the driver to branch off the main Atronie road to where the said KIA was. The robbers asked the driver to stop and ordered him to hand over the vehicle's key to them and when he refused Malik drew a knife and attempted to stab him while Rockson removed a rope from his pocket and tied the driver's neck.

The robbers dumped the driver in the bush and sped away in the taxi but the driver crawled to the road side and got an oncoming vehicle that took him to the police station in Sunyani where he reported the case. Chief Inspector Fosu said the police sent messages to all police barriers in the region as well as local FM radio stations for the public to be on the look out alert for the stolen taxi. The prosecutor said the police at Yawhima barrier near Sunyani intercepted the car with the robbers as they headed towards Techiman. They told the police they were invited by one Malik, a resident of Sunyani, to come and assist him in robbery operations.