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Three ex-convicts and another have been sentenced to 19 years imprisonment each for robbing two mobile money vendors at gun point at Ablekuma in the Greater Accra Region.
This was after the court presided over by Mrs Patricia Amponsah found them guilty on the charges of conspiracy to commit crime to wit robbery and two counts of robbery.
Apart from Ibrahim Muntari, a father of five and a 29-year-old driver, the rest of the accused persons namely Evans Nuetey, 27-year-old driver, Abubakar Sadiq aka Frenchman a 30-year-old Okada Rider and Prince Ayitey, a 25-year-old driver are already serving 17 years each on similar offences.
The convicts were said to have robbed two mobile money vendors of their money at gunpoint at Ablekuma in the Greater Accra Region on March 6, 2020.
Handing down the sentences, the trial judge said it took into consideration the remorse displayed by the accused persons, their plea for mercy and error of their ways and the mistakes committed by them.
It noted that the court’s hands were tied as it had earlier on sentenced three of the accused persons to 17 years imprisonment each on similar crimes.
According to the court, on the day it sentenced three of the accused persons, it reminded them on two occasions to think about the other cases against them before the court would decide on their fate if they had indeed committed those offences.
“Now, I have no option than to give you an enhanced sentence,” the court said.
The accused persons also took turns to plead with the court for mercy and leniency.
Muntari told the court that ” I have five kids and my wife was pregnant when I was arrested. The fifth born does not know her father. Please have mercy on me and deal leniently with me.”
Nuetey said: “Please I am already serving 17 years in jail. I don’t think I will have anything to do with the Police after returning from jail.”
Sadiq in tears told the court to have mercy on him and that his father had passed on.
Prosecuting Chief Inspector John Gohoho, narrated that the complainants Maxwell Boakye and Isaac Agyeman were mobile money vendors residing at Ablekumah.
It said Muntari, Nuetey and Sadiq resided at Olebu, Odumase and Mankrong, all suburbs in Accra.
The prosecution said on March 8, 2020, the Amasaman Police Patrol team arrested Muntari and one Waja for possessing firearms without authority at Pokuase.
It said March 17, 2020, the Greater Accra Regional Police upon intelligence gathered that Muntari and Waja were among those who attacked mobile money vendors during the year 2019 to March 6, 2020.
According to prosecution, the two were interrogated and they admitted the offence and mentioned Nuetey, Sadiq and Ayitey as accomplices.
It said the convicts mentioned Ablekuma Fan Milk as the place where they robbed the mobile money vendors.
The prosecution said on March 18, 2020, Muntari led the Police to Odumase, Olebu and Mankrong and identified Nuetey, Sadiq, and Ayitey as his accomplices and they were nabbed.
On March 20, 2020, the accused persons, now convicts, led the Police and pointed out the shops of the complainants as the places they had attacked and robbed of GHC15,000 and 8,000 and 10,270 electronic cash.
They also made away with nine mobile phones and credit cards valued at GHC 530.
The prosecution said the accused persons indicated to the Police that after their operations, they went to Olebu in a taxi and shared the money.
It said the two complainants later identified the accused persons as those who robbed them.
