The Asokwa Circuit Court in the Ashanti Region has jailed two carjackers and committed other accomplices to different sentences for their respective roles in armed robbery activities in the Ashanti Region.
Jeffrey Dwomoh and Clifford Opoku were convicted by the court on the charges of conspiracy and robbery after full trial. They are to serve 40 years each.
Also going behind bars is Kwabena Kyei Barfour, who was found guilty on three counts of the charge of dishonestly receiving.
He was sentenced to 35 years for each conviction, which are to run concurrently.
During last Wednesday’s sentencing, the court, presided over by Fredrick Obikyere, also found Prince Opuni guilty for reckless and inconsiderate driving and causing damage to a police vehicle.
He was sentenced to pay a fine of GH¢9,200. In default of the fine, he will serve 10 months behind bars.
Another suspect, Henry Kusi Marfo, was acquitted of abetment of robbery, but convicted for supplying ammunition to facilitate the robbery, breaching the Arms and Ammunition Act 1972, the National Redemption Council Decree (NRCD) 9.
Marfo, who was sentenced to pay a total fine of GH¢12,600 or in default serve 15 months in jail, has since paid his fine.
The court, however, held that a Customs officer, Richard Dogbatsey, and a clearing agent, William Ansah, were not guilty of abetment of robbery.
IGP assures
In an interview, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, commended his personnel for a great job in apprehending the convicts and the thorough gathering of evidence leading to their successful prosecution and conviction.
The IGP warned miscreants in the system that his men and women were very alert and anybody who engaged in any criminal activity would be found and dealt with according to law.
Dr Dampare also assured the public that the Ghana Police Service would provide it with the needed security at every point in time.
Background
In February last year, the police, in a statement, announced the arrest of some suspects over their alleged involvement in a series of carjacking, robbery and murder incidents across three regions of the country.
The statement, dated Feb 1, 2023, said investigations into the activities of the syndicate revealed that one of the suspects shot and killed one of his victims during one of the carjacking expeditions at Brofoyedru, near Ahenema Kokoben, in the Ashanti Region.
The police said the arrests followed a sustained, intelligence-led operation by a special police team which mounted surveillance on the activities of the gang between July 2022 and January 2023 in the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Eastern regions.
"During the operation, the police recovered 10 vehicles believed to have been snatched by the gang from their victims.
"The police also retrieved two foreign pistols, one revolver with 10 rounds of 38 special ammunition and a Rugger foreign pistol with 11 rounds of nine-millimetre ammunition, together with a cash sum of GH¢10,010,” the statement said.
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