Choicenewsonline Your Choice Is Here
The Akropong Magistrate Court in the Eastern Region has thrown three Fulanis to prison for a period of 60 years each. The accused were found guilty in all three charges against them namely conspiracy to commit crime, armed robbery and murder.
During the last sitting two weeks ago, the magistrate Nana Bruce had asked the police to keep the three suspects in cells. On Tuesday, the three were brought back to the court for final judgement.
Presenting the case to the court, the police prosecutor DSP Osei Boateng said the suspects were six in number who had been terrorising traders along the Kwahu, Akuapem and Afram Plains areas.
He said on the day of their arrest, the suspects had just finished an operation at Mame Krobo where they blocked road and robbed traders of their valuables. He they had gone to a drinking spot at Akropong after the operations when someone who had been their victim spoted them. The imformant alerted the who quickly rounded them up.
Unfortunately two of them were able to escape while four were arrested. The police said one of those arrested was a minor hence could not undergo criminal prosecution now.
DSP Osei Boateng added that the police retrieved 2 pump action guns, 1 AK47 raffle, three mobile phones, 2 locally manufactured pistols and cash amounting to 10,300 Ghana Cedis from the suspects upon their arrest.
Giving his judgement, Nana Bruce said the foreigners were illegal immigrants in the first place as they do not possess residents permit and other documents. Secondly they have been terrorizing Ghanaians who have given them a place of abode to the point of killing some of them. For this reason, he sentenced each of the 3 to a prison term of 60 years which makes a total of 180 years.
Nana Bruce ordered that their weapons be given to the police while the money be paid into the consolidated fund.
It will be recalled that about a month ago, armed robbers blocked the Drobonso-Kumawu road and harassed inocent traders. In the course of the operation, one of them shot at a middle aged woman called Abena Donkor who died in the spot. They also robbed the traders of their belongings after whipping them.
When the four were arrested in Eastern Region, the police escorted them to Drobonso where some of the victims identified them as being part of the gang who carried out the deadly operation.
It is expected that the two currently on the run will be arrested to bring lasting peace to the Kwahu-Afram Plains ridge.
But this is not the first in recent times that innocent people are dying during robbery. Last year a pregnant mother met her untimely death when armed robbers attacked a bullion van in Accra. Joyce Amankwaa, 40 was said be cooking in her wooden structure when stray bullet hit her from outside. She died on the spot. In the process, the escorting police officer was also gunned down by the robbers.
