Two jailed 40 years for robbery

January 21, 2014 (Page 33)
 

Two persons were Monday sentenced to a total of 40 years’ imprisonment with hard labour for robbing a lotto writer in Accra.
Abdul Razak Mustapha, a driver, and Francis Ampofoh,  a cobbler,  are to serve 20 years each in prison after the circuit court in Accra found them guilty on two counts of conspiracy and robbery.

According to the prosecution, the convicts robbed the complainant, a lotto writer, of GH¢2,900 at Lapaz in Accra around 7 p.m. on June 18, 2011.
The court, presided over by Mr Francis Obiri, convicted them to five years’ imprisonment each on each count of conspiracy and 20 years on each count of robbery.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
The convicts had pleaded not guilty to the charges, but the court held the view that the prosecution had proved their guilt beyond reasonable doubt after a full trial.
Fact
The facts of the case, as presented by the prosecution, were that the complainant had closed for the day and was about to hand over his sales to his employer when the convicts and three others now on the run appeared on the scene, armed with machetes, knives and broken bottles.
They ordered the complainant to hand over the daily sale of GH¢2,900 but he declined to do so, resulting in the robbers threatening to stab him to death if he refused to obey their orders.
Sensing danger, the complainant handed over the money to them.
On August 18, 2011, the complainant received information on the whereabouts of the robbers.
He relayed the information to the police, who subsequently effected their arrest.
Background
• The Accra Circuit Court has sentenced two men to serve 40 years in prison for robbing a lotto writer of GH¢2,900 in Accra.
• The two, Abdul Razak Mustapha, a driver, and Francis Ampofoh, a cobbler, will each serve 20 years.