5 Robbers Jailed 200yrs

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Category: NewsBrief

Created on Sunday, 29 September 2013 00:00

5 Robbers Jailed 200yrs

FIVE MEN who robbed a manager of Unibank Ghana Limited and his family at gun point after assaulting them mercilessly, have been sentenced by an Accra High Court to a total jail term of 200 years.

The convicts, Gameli Vinotor aka Gaboo, 46, Isaac Addo Tetteh aka Reverend, 25, Robert Taylor aka Bornty, Mensah Dogbe aka Fofo, and Emmanuel Quaye aka Old School, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit crime and four counts of robbery at the court presided over by Justice Charles Quist after over three years’ trial.

The convicts were sentenced to 40 years on each count but the sentences are to run concurrently, meaning they would each serve 40 years in prison.

The robbery attack took place on the dawn of January 18, 2009. The armed robbers stormed the house with guns, took the manager and his family hostage and demanded GH¢50,000 amid threats of killing them.

The manager, who did not have such an amount of money, reportedly gave the robbers 700 euros, but as they were not satisfied, they ordered the children to hand over their two mobile phones and cash of GH630 to them.

The five men denied the charges in court but the judge, after the trial, observed that the prosecution led by Chief State Attorney, Matthew Amponsah, was able to make a case against them and therefore sentenced them to serve as a deterrent.

The prosecutor, Chief State Attorney Matthew Amponsah, narrating the facts of the case, stated that On January 18, 2009 at about 2:00am, while the complainant and his family were asleep, the five armed robbers who lived at Dansoman and their accomplices on the run, all numbering about 10, attacked the inhabitants of the complainant’s house with guns.

The armed robbers, according to the prosecutor, attacked the security guard on duty by assaulting him mercilessly with the butts of their guns.

After overpowering him, they moved to the rooms where the children of the complainant were sleeping and broke the doors with blocks, attacked them and took them hostage.

They robbed them of their mobile phones and various sums of money. Four of the robbers also moved to the bedroom of the complainant and attacked him.

The prosecutor stated that the men fired several shots into the complainant’s room through his window and demanded GH¢50,000 from him, amid threats of killing him.

The complainant, who had still locked himself up in his bedroom out of fear, gave them 700 Euros through the windows.

The robbers, not satisfied, kept firing into the room and at a stage attempted to break into the room by hitting the door with blocks.

Sensing danger, the complainant gathered courage and fired a gunshot which hit one of the robbers.

The robbers, who then became frightened immediately, fled the house.

The prosecutor stated that as they were running, one of the robbers shouted and mentioned Gaboo, the nickname of Gameli, a name well known in the neighbourhood.

The complainant reported the matter to the police and a few days later, Gameli was traced and arrested. He reportedly mentioned the names of the others.

Upon a tip-off, the four other convicts were also arrested and they were identified by the victims as their attackers.

By Mary Anane

Source: Daily Guide/Ghana