Crime & Punishment of Friday, 7 August 2015

Source: GNA

Driver jailed 15 years for armed robbery

A Cape Coast Circuit Court on Wednesday sentenced a 38-year old driver to 15 years imprisonment in hard labour for robbery.

The convict, Emmanuel Obeng Darko pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery but was found guilty after full trial.

Darko who looked calm and remorseful before the sentence, begun to weep uncontrollably upon hearing his sentence, attracting sympathy from a colleague accused person who also wept loudly disrupting court proceedings.

Passing judgment, Mrs Sedina Agbemava expressed worry that Darko and his accomplice did not only rob one Issah of his belongings, but also inflicted cutlass wounds on him.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Charles Anku told the court that the complainant, Issah Adam is a trader from Niger and resident at Amamoma, near University of Cape Coast while the convict resides at Ola, a suburb of Cape Coast.

He said on Sunday September 14, 2014 at about midnight, Adam was at the Pedu filling station to take a taxi home, but later decided to walk towards the UCC East, where it would be easier to get a car.

Inspector Anku indicated that upon reaching the CEDECOM area, Darko and one Paa Kwesi who is at large emerged from the nearby bush and attacked Adam, dragged him to the bush and robbed him of his mobile phone and a cash of GH¢ 2,700.00.

He said the desperate shouts of Adam attracted people to the scene including Police patrol team who managed to arrest Darko but his accomplice, Paa Kwesi managed to escape with the money.

Chief Inspector Anku said Adam’s phone was later retrieved from Darko.