Sekondi, July 29, GNA - Four armed robbers have been sentenced to a total of 150 years imprisonment in hard labour by a Sekondi High Court for conspiracy to rob and attempted murder. They pleaded not guilty.

They are Lamine Watara, a 33-year-old farmer, Abdulai Zongo alias Rambo 25, labourer, Mahmood Troare 33, student and Alhassan Sissala, farmer, aged 24 years.

The court sentenced Watara and Zongo to 40 years imprisonment each, while Troare and Sissala were also jailed 35 years each.

Prosecuting, Mr William Kpobi, a Principal State Attorney, told the court that on the night of May 10 the accused persons attempted to rob the house of Osumanu Moshie and his wife Ayeshetu Adams at gunpoint at Sefwi Akatiso in the Western Region.

He said the group knocked at the main door of the house and when Ayeshetu opened it they demanded the whereabouts of her husband and where he kept his money.

When she hesitated they assaulted her and fired into the ceiling of the house. Moshie, on hearing the screams of his wife, came out and this enabled Ayeshetu and the children to escape.

Mr Kpobi said Watara and Troare entered the living room and struggled with Moshie while Zongo and Sissala remained outside with their guns. During the struggle, Moshie was shot in the left leg but he managed to pull out a gun from his room and engaged the robbers in a gun battle. Sissala was hit in the leg but he escaped with the wounds. He was later arrested.