A 28-year-old driver, Atsu Dzovor, has been sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment by the Circuit Court in Accra on two charges of conspiracy and robbery.
Dzovor pleaded guilty to the two offenses in his first appearance.
The court presided over by Her Honour Mrs. Susana Eduful convicted him on his own guilty plea on the two charges and sentenced him on both counts to 15 years, to run concurrently.
In his plea for mitigation, the convict prayed for the court to deal with him leniently.
He also told the court that his mother was indisposed and have a three-month-old baby to take care of.
The court, in sentencing him, said it took into consideration his plea for mitigation and the fact that he is not already known to the law.
He also did not waste the time of the court.
According to EIB Network’s Court Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, 15 years is the minimum punishment for robbery.
Grief facts
Per the brief facts of the case presented to the court by Inspector Teye Okuffo were that the Complainant is Hagar Anyana, a waitress and resident of Kwashieman.
The Prosecutor said the 1st Accused, Atsu Dzovor is a driver and lives at Agbogbloshie whilst the 2nd Accused, Kelly, who is currently on the run, also resides in the same vicinity.
Inspector Teye Okuffo told the court that on September 1, this year, at about 4:30 am, the 1st and 2nd accused decided to go to Odorkor township to rob.
He said, at Odorkor Tipper, they spotted the complainant on her way to work, and the 1st and 2nd accused, while on a motorbike, attacked the complainant with a sharp knife and demanded her handbag.
The Prosecutor said, the Complainant refused to surrender her handbag and the 2nd Accused who was a pillion rider, pulled a knife and threatened to stab the complainant to death and managed to snatch the handbag from her and bolted away.
He said, coincidentally, the Odorkor Police Patrol Team appeared at the scene of crime and saw the accused escaping and the complainant informed the police about her ordeal to Police.
The accused, he said were given a hot chase by the Police and fired at the accused persons. In the process, the accused had an accident and abandoned the motorbike with registration number M22-GR-3806 and took to their heels.
Inspector Okuffo said, the police conducted a search at the scene of the accident and found 1st accused person’s mobile phone.
The Police, he said, together with the complainant, went to Odorkor Police Station and a complaint was lodged.
The Prosecutor told the court that an investigation led to the arrest of the 1st accused through his mobile phone at Agbogbloshie, who admitted the offenses in his caution statement and mentioned the 2nd accused as his accomplice.
He was subsequently charged after investigation and was arraigned for the offenses while efforts are underway to arrest the 2nd Accused.