A Kumasi Circuit Court, presided over by Mrs Afia Adu Amankwaa, has sentenced a man convicted of robbery to 25 years imprisonment in hard labour.

Mohammed Abubakari pleaded not guilty to the crime but the court ruled otherwise.

Three other people said to be his accomplices are on the run and the police have mounted a search to track them down and bring them to justice.

Abubakari and his fugitive colleagues had attacked the victims – three ladies and a man, at gun point, and robbed them of their cash in local and foreign currency - GH¢2,075, US$160 and €400.

They also seized their mobile phones and other valuables and fled with them.

Police Inspector Daniel Opoku told the court that the incident happened at Ahodwo on November 9, last year, at about 0115 hours.

The victims, Akua Forkuo, a banker, Afua Asantewaa Boateng, Theodora Cobbina (both traders) and their male counterpart Geoffrey Osei Bonsu, who had then just returned to the country from the Netherlands, were on their way home after a night out when the convict and his criminal gang struck.

A formal report was made to the police and based upon intelligence Abubakari was arrested.

The police retrieved from him a locally manufactured pistol, one of the stolen phones, machete and a purse containing Nigerian currency, the naira.

The victims identified him as one of their attackers after his arrest.