A 19-year-old man has been convicted of robbery and sentenced to 30 years imprisonment in hard labour by a Kumasi Circuit Court.

Stephen Boakye alias “Paa Kwesi” who attacked a food vendor and robbed her of her cellular phone and cash of GH¢200.00, pleaded guilty to the offence.

Police Superintendent Emmanuel A. Akonnor told the court, presided over by Mr William Boampong, that the incident happened on Monday, November 3, at about 0520 hours.

The victim, Madam Sarah Boakye, was on her way to the Atonsu market to buy food items for her business, when the convict, wielding a knife, slapped her on the face and seized her handbag containing the phone, cash and other valuables.

She gathered courage and shouted for help and that attracted some people in the neighbourhood who managed to track down Boakye, arrested and handed him over to a police patrol team that was in the area.

He confessed to the crime in his caution statement and said the phone dropped whilst trying to escape arrest. GNA