The Asante Bekwai Circuit Court has sentenced two soldiers to ten years of hard labor each for kidnapping and robbing a small-scale miner of GH₵96,500.00.
Air-force Lance Corporal (LAC) Alfred Mensah, 33, and LAC Matthew Amoako, 28, both denied conspiring to rob and kidnap Mr. Andrews Asante. They were subjected to a full trial and found guilty.
Three of their accomplices, identified only as Frimpong, Francis, and Francis Acheampong (41, a driver), remain at large.
Detective Chief Inspector Eric Twum, speaking to the court presided over by Mr. Isaac Appeatu, narrated that Mr. Asante, the complainant, is a small-scale miner residing in Ametubuom, a suburb of Asiwa. Mensah and Amoako are Air Force officers based in Accra and Tamale, respectively, but both were on a course in Accra at the time.
Acheampong, the driver, worked for a car-rental company in Accra, while Frimpong and Francis, who were military personnel based in Kumasi, are still at large.
Prosecution stated that on November 25, 2023, Acheampong met the soldiers and, knowing they were going on a robbery expedition, led them to his company’s secretary. Acheampong then rented a Mitsubishi Pajero (registration number GS 3236-17) and was assigned to drive it for the mission.
At around 1400 hours, they departed from Accra, reaching Konongo, where they picked up Francis. The group, dressed in military uniform, proceeded to Ametubuom, where they arrived at Mr. Asante’s residence at approximately 0130 hours.
The gang shouted for Asante to come out, but he initially refused, fearing for his life. They attacked his friend Kwabena, whom his wife called for help, prompting Asante to eventually come out. The convicts pushed him back inside and subjected him to beatings while demanding GH₵400,000.00 for his release.
Asante did not have that amount, but out of fear for his life, he borrowed GH₵10,000.00 from his mother-in-law and handed it over to the gang. However, the robbers continued to beat him and demanded more money. The mother-in-law provided an additional GH₵20,000.00 wrapped in a black polythene bag.
The gang ransacked her room, finding GH₵40,000.00, and later searched Asante’s room, taking GH₵15,000.00. They also seized GH₵7,000.00 from Kwabena and the ignition key to his motorbike to prevent him from chasing them.
The gang forcibly pushed Asante into their vehicle, where Mensah took an additional GH₵4,500.00 from his pocket. In total, they made off with GH₵96,500.00.
Police were alerted and attempted to intercept the vehicle, but the robbers ignored the signals and sped off. The police shot at the vehicle, but the robbers continued until they reached a broken bridge at Anwiam. Unable to cross, they abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot with their hostage.
At around 0430 hours, Mensah and Amoako arrived at Anumso Town, looking for a getaway vehicle. They were arrested by local residents and handed over to the police. Frimpong and Francis, realizing their accomplices had been captured, abandoned the complainant and fled into the forest.
The two arrested soldiers later admitted to the crimes and named their accomplices. They also revealed that the stolen money was taken by the town’s residents who apprehended them. One body armor, the complainant’s walking aid, and Kwabena’s motorbike ignition key were later recovered from the forest hideout.
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