Two Persons Jailed 80 Years For Stealing Mobile Phones

Two persons who allegedly conspired and stole mobile phones were on Monday sentenced to 80 years each, after the court had found them guilty.

Their accomplice however was acquitted and discharged after the trial.

The two, Danso Dominic, a phone repairer, and Zakari Usman, a scrap dealer were convicted to serve 20 years each for conspiracy and 30 years each for two counts of robbery.

Kweku Boadi, a driver was acquitted and discharged by the court.

The presiding Judge, Mr Francis Obiri said robbery had been on the increase and people of their calibre did not deserve to be part of the community, but must be kept away from the reach of society.

Prosecuting, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)J. K Anim said the complainants, Michael Kumi, a student and Godfred Billa, a boxer all in Accra.

He said on August 22, 2011, at about 1300 hours the complainants together with their parents were fast asleep when the convicts broke into their halls through the kitchen, went from room to room and subjected the complainants to beatings.

He said they tied the hands of the complainants behind them and robbed them of their mobile phones at gun point.

The prosecution said in the process the father of one of the complainants alerted the Amasaman police patrol team who proceeded to the scene immediately.

The robbers on noticing the presence of the police bolted, leaving a school bag and an industrial cutter behind.

DSP Anim said the police took custody of the bag and found it to contain two pliers, a cable wire, a pair of scissors, a spanner, a screw driver, a bunch of keys, a pair of shoes, a T Shirt, a pair of trousers, a mobile phone and a pair of sandals.

He told the court that on August 29, the Accra Regional Command had information that it was the three who broke into the complainants’ house and robbed them.

He said Dominic was subsequently arrested and on interrogation he claimed ownership of the bag and its content, admitted the offence as well, and mentioned his accomplices as Jacob and Zak.

The prosecution said on September 8 and 9, 2011 respectively the other two were also arrested upon a tip off.