Armed robber jailed 15 years

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 42-year-old man to 15 years in prison for robbing a taxi driver at gunpoint. 

Yaw Mensah, aka Red, was sentenced after the court presided over by Susana Eduful found him guilty after a full trial.

Before his sentencing, Mensah insisted that he did not commit the crime adding, “God knows my heart that I did not commit the crime. But if the court thinks I am guilty, I thank the court”. 

Prosecution’s facts

Narrating the facts of the case, the prosecution led by Chief Inspector Teye Okuffo said on September 6, 2023, at about 3:40 a.m., Mensah engaged the services of the driver to take him from Kwame Nkrumah Interchange to Sabon-Zongo Market.

On reaching Ayigbe Town, Mensah, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, pulled out a pistol on the complainant and threatened to shoot him.

“Out of fear, the complainant stopped the car and he was attacked violently and the first accused dragged him out of the car. 

“Mensah took over the car and sped off to Agbogbloshie Market and parked it,” the prosecutor said.

Thereafter, he said Mensah with one other, who was still at large, was looking for a buyer of the car.

C/Insp Okuffo added that on September 8, 2023, at about 7:30 p.m., the National Police Intelligence Directorate had information and proceeded to Agbogbloshie and arrested an accused person who was later discharged and retrieved the exhibit from him.

This led to the arrest of Mensah.

Mensah is said to have stated in his cautioned statements and disclosed to Police that, he engaged the services of the complainant at Korle Bu Traffic Light and admitted the offence.

“On the same day, the complainant went to Korle Bu and complained of robbery. After their arrest, the accused persons and the exhibit car together with the Police extract form were brought to the Police Regional CID/Accra and handed over for further investigation.

“The Police and the accused person visited the scene of the crime and accused persons displayed to the Police how they robbed the car from the complainant.

“Investigation revealed that the accused persons have committed a series of robberies in the Greater Accra Region while the other dockets have been called for pending investigation,” the prosecutor said.