Police officer, 3 others jailed 70 years

An Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday sentenced General Lance Corporal Raymond Amegashie of the Ghana Police Service and three others to a total jail term of 70 years for robbery.

The Policeman and the three had robbed a trader of GHC45,000.00 and $1,000 in a supermarket at Nungua in Accra at gunpoint.

Delivering its final verdict, the Court presided over by Aboagye Tandoh held that he was handing down the sentence based on the role each one of the accused persons played in the robbery.

The court sentenced Corporal Amegashie to 20 years imprisonment in hard labour; Ibrahim Ayirebo a motor mechanic, to 18 years imprisonment; Bright Dorkanu, a driver’s mate and Stanley Akorli, a driver were sentenced to 16 years imprisonment each.

This was after the court had found them guilty on the charges of conspiracy to rob and robbery. The four carried out the act at about 2100 hours on December 12, 2017.

The court further directed that the GHC19,420.00 and $600 which were retrieved from the accused persons be refunded to the complainant, Hellen Asante.

It noted that prosecution after calling four witnesses had established its case beyond reasonable doubt in respect of the charges of conspiracy and robbery.

The court recounted that whiles Amegashie was the head of the gang, Ayirebo was the operating officer and the Dorkanu was the organizer. In the case of Akorli, the court described him as the liaison officer in the December 12, 2017 robbery.

During the trial, the court observed that the convicts had planned to rob a mobile money vendor but that was foiled hence their planned to rob the complainant on December 12, 2017.

Pleading for mitigation, Paul Asabi Abarigah who represented Corporal Amegashie, prayed the court to deal leniently with his client because he was young and had years ahead of him.

Mr. Abarigah said the court should take into consideration how remorseful his client and accomplices had displayed during the trial and if the court had cautioned them by saying “go and sin no more’ they would have jump for that opportunity.

According to counsel granting them minimal sentences would afford the convicts the opportunity to re-integrate into society.

Kwame Oppong who represented Akorli described his client as a victim of circumstances and called for a lenient punishment.

He said his client had learnt his lesson.

Prosecuting Chief Inspector Victor Dosoo had earlier on narrated that the complainant, Ms. Asante is a trader operating a provision store around Nungua Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).

Chief inspector Dosoo said Amegashie was stationed at Tema SWAT Unit, Ayirebo resides at Tema Community One, Dorkanu also resides at Ashiaman while Akorli lives at Tema Gulf City.

On December 12, 2007, Prosecution said at about 2100 hours, the four accused persons, now convicts planned to go on a robbery spree.

Prosecution said Amegahsie who was detailed for guard duty at Glotee Ghana abandoned his post with his AK47 Rifle plus 20 rounds of ammunition and Ayirebo also armed himself a pistol.

According to prosecution Amegashie and Ayirebo boarded a taxi with registration number GX 9514-13 driven by Akorli and proceeded to the complainant’s shop at Nungua. Dorkanu later joined them.

The prosecution said Amegashie, Ayirebo, and Dorkanu alighted from the vehicle and entered the complainant’s shop amidst sporadic gunfire and robbed her of GHC45,000.00 and $1,000.

After the act, prosecution said the convicts boarded their vehicle and sped off to Tema whiles the complainant reported the incident to the Police.

Ayirebo, Dorkanu and Akorli were arrested at Community 18 Abattoir Police barrier where GHC19,500.00 and $600 were retrieved from them.

The prosecution said Amegahsie managed to escape with his AK 47 rifle and spent the night at Tema Motorway Round About and returned his rifle to his unit the following day.

Prosecution said Amegashie attempted to escape arrest at Tsopoli Police Barrier but he was nabbed.