Crime & Punishment of Friday, 20 June 2014

Source: GNA

Cobbler gets 18 years for attacking Police Officer

Sannie Iddrisu, a 28 year Cobbler, who attacked and robbed a Police Officer at the Ako Adjei Interchange was on Thursday sentenced to 18 years imprisonment by an Accra Fast Track High Court.

The convict was said to have robbed the Police Corporal Ibrahim Adam of his bag containing Police uniform, a tin of milk and mobile phone. Iddrisu charged with robbery pleaded not guilty. The court presided over by Mr Justice Mustapha Habib Logoh, however, found him guilty and convicted him accordingly. The court noted that Iddrisu had been in custody since 2009 and that he was a first time offender and young man hence dealt leniently with him.

Sentence is to take effect from the day of arrest that is November 6, 2009. Earlier, his counsel Mr Humphrey Modzaka prayed the court to deal leniently with him as Iddrisu was a first time offender, young and the fact that he had been jail for a long time.

Mr Ashong Okai, a State Attorney, told the court that the victim Ibrahim Adam was a Police Corporal stationed at the Panther’s Unit and a student of the University of Ghana, Legon. On November 6, 2009 at about 1830 hours, Corporal Adam was returning from lectures at the Accra City Campus to his duty point in Mr Mahama Ayariga, Minister of Information Media Relation’s bungalow at Ring way Estate in Accra.

The State Attorney said while returning, Corporal Adam was holding a bag containing Police Uniform, a tin of milk and his Motorola Mobile phone in his hand. On reaching the 10th Avenue opposite the Agricultural Development Bank House towards Ako Adjei the convict attacked and hit Corporal Adam’s head from behind with an unknown implement.

Corporal Adam screamed and fell with his face down with blood oozing from his head. Prosecution said the noise by Corporal Adam attracted a witness, Emmanuel Ahiaku, a security officer from Westec Security Company who was on duty at a bungalow in the area. Ahiaku looked over the wall and saw Iddrisu standing beside Corporal Adam and holding his bag and mobile phone in his hand.

Prosecution said Ahiaku hurriedly took his bicycle and chases him together with others and Iddrisu was arrested with the bag. Iddrisu was escorted to the crime scene where Corporal Adam was lying unconscious in a pool of blood. Prosecution said Corporal Adam was escorted to the Police Hospital for treatment while Iddrisu was handed over to the Police at Osu, Accra.