An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced three persons to 20 years imprisonment each for robbing a taxi driver of his vehicle at Airport Residential Area, Accra.
The convicts were said to have held Eric Appiah’s (the complainant) neck and assaulted him mercilessly until he fell unconscious, tied him up with a rope and they bolted with the taxi.
Yaw Asamoah, a 43-year old labourer, Yaw Appiah, a 27-year old phone repairer, and John Chinedu, were found guilty of the charges of conspiracy to commit crime namely robbery and robbery.
The court, presided over by Evelyn Asamoah, sentenced the three accused persons to 15 years imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy to commit crime namely robbery.
On the charge of robbery, the accused are to serve 20 years each. Sentences will, however, run concurrently.
Charles Oduro, aka Ayensu, a building contractor who was in the dock with the convicts, was, however, acquitted and discharged.
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Prosecuting Police Chief Inspector Emmanuel Haligah said the complainants were Policemen stationed at the Regional Police headquarters, Accra.
Accused persons reside at Shiashie and Madina in Accra.
Chief Inspector Haligah said on January 30 last year, the Accra Regional Criminal Investigations Department (CID) operation team received information that the accused persons had robbed a taxi driver of his Toyota Vitz car with registration number GW 9145-19 and were going to sell same to someone at Dansoman.
Prosecution said the Police team trailed the said car and intercepted it at Dansoman roundabout, heading towards the Carl Reindolf Park.
According to the prosecution, Asamoah, Appiah, Chinedu and one other, identified later as Shortman, tried to escape on seeing the Police; got out of the car and took to their heels.
The prosecution said the convicts were arrested by the Police and Shortman, who was then driving the stolen car, was shot in an attempt to arrest him.
Chief Haligah said Shortman was rushed to the Police Hospital for treatment but he was later pronounced dead.
During interrogation, prosecution said the three convicts mentioned one Ayensu and Danso as those who gave them the vehicle at Teshie on January, 30, last year at about 1:00 am to be given to a buyer at Dansoman.
The prosecutor said the three convicts failed to assist the Police to arrest Ayensu and Danso.
Prosecution said investigation caution statements were taken from them.
However, prosecution said on February 3, last year, Ayensu was arrested and he denied having handed over the car to the three convicts.
Prosecution said a police wireless message was sent to all stations about the retrieval of the Toyota Vitz with registration number GW 9145- 19.
On February 8, last year, Eric Appiah, a taxi driver together with an investigator from Airport Police came to the Regional CID, Accra and Eric Appiah identified the vehicle as his.
Prosecution said investigations revealed that the three convicts and one Shortman, now deceased on January 29, last year at about 11:30 pm hired the taxi driver to take them to the Old Chinese Embassy located at Airport Residential Area.
The Prosecutor said on reaching a spot near the Old Chinese Embassy, the convicts asked the driver to stop.
Accused alighted and Shortman pretended to be paying Eric Appiah the fare, but suddenly one of the convicts held Eric Appiah’s neck and assaulted him mercilessly until he fell unconscious, tied him up with a rope and bolted with the taxi.