40 years for car snatching
Gilbert Boyefio
19/08/2008
Two car thieves, Philip Nii Armah Tagoe, a 19 year-old driver, and Nii Abbey Mensah, 26 year-old unemployed, have been sentenced to 20 years jail term each on armed robbery related offences.
The two, who were not legally represented, were convicted on their own pleas on two counts of offences, including conspiracy to rob and robbery. The court, presided by Justice Nicholas Abodakpi, a High Court Judge, sitting as an additional Circuit Court Judge, sentenced the two to 20 years jail term each on count one, and another 20 years jail term each on count two. The jail terms, however, are to run concurrently.
In a related case, a bag snatcher, Abdul Razak, aliases Azziz and Jimmy, a 21 year-old footballer, was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for stealing. Razak, who pleaded guilty with explanation, was initially charged with armed robbery but based upon his explanation to the court, the judge reduced his charge from armed robbery to stealing.
The facts of the car robbery case as presented to the court by the police were that on or about May 20, 2007, around 11pm Atta Joe, the complainant in the case, was driving his Toyota Corona taxi cab with registration number GT4490D around Kaneshie Pamplona, when Phillip Nii Armah Tagoe, Nii Abbey Mensah and two others on the run, namely, Nortey and Junior, stopped him and hired him to take them to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
According to the police prosecution, at a point on their way, the accused persons and the two accomplices at large ordered the driver to stop and unaware of the danger he faced, he did so. The accused persons brought out cutlasses and succeeded in robbing him of his car, driver's license and an amount of GH¢73.00.
The complainant reported the incident to the Korle-Bu Police who sent a wire message around to all police stations within Accra. A police patrol team saw the accused persons at Odorkor and pursued them.
During the hot chase, the accused persons abandoned the car and took to their heels. Philip Nii Armah Tagoe was arrested in the process and sent to the Korle-Bu Police station, where the complainant identified him.
In his cautious statement to the police, Nii Armah Tagoe, mentioned Nii Abbey Mensah as his accomplice. On October 21, 2007, Nii Abbey Mensah was arrested at his hideout at Mateheko. He also confessed in his cautioned statement to the police.
Concerning the bag snatching, the facts were that on or about May 17, 2006, about 1pm, the complainant in the case, Mavis Quaye, was returning home from work on foot, when she was attacked by a cutlass-wielding Abdul Razak at Alaska in Nima.
He forcefully took the complainant's bag containing one Motorola phone valued at GH¢140.00, one Nokia phone charger valued at GH¢6.00, two necklaces worth GH¢30.00 and cash of GH¢13.00, all totaling GH¢189.00.
The complainant, who was able to identify the accused person with the assistance of a bystander, reported the matter to the police. Abdul Razak was traced to his hideout and was arrested for investigation.
During mitigation, Razak who was not legally represented told the court that he has never done such a thing before and therefore pleaded with the court to have mercy on him. "I have not done such a thing before. I was walking with a friend, I took the bag but did not use a cutlass," he told the court.
Although he pleaded guilty with explanation, based upon his explanation to the court, the judge reduced his charge from armed robbery to stealing.
According to the judge, the explanation of Abdul Razak was in part a denial of armed robbery but admission of stealing. He was of the view that there will be no reason to go into a full trial to prove that Abdul Razak used a cutlass. He consequently discharged him of the armed robbery charge but convicted him for stealing.
When the court asked the complainant whether her bag and contents has been recovered to her she replied in the negative. Razak was therefore asked whether he can pay her back which he answered in the positive. He said his relatives, who were not in court, are willing to pay the lady but she has refused.
However, a letter written by Razak’s grandfather which was read to the court by the police prosecution indicated that he is not in any position to pay any money back.
The judge therefore sentenced him to 5 years imprisonment.
In all the two cases, the accused persons, the court was told were first time offenders.
19/08/2008
Two car thieves, Philip Nii Armah Tagoe, a 19 year-old driver, and Nii Abbey Mensah, 26 year-old unemployed, have been sentenced to 20 years jail term each on armed robbery related offences.
The two, who were not legally represented, were convicted on their own pleas on two counts of offences, including conspiracy to rob and robbery. The court, presided by Justice Nicholas Abodakpi, a High Court Judge, sitting as an additional Circuit Court Judge, sentenced the two to 20 years jail term each on count one, and another 20 years jail term each on count two. The jail terms, however, are to run concurrently.
In a related case, a bag snatcher, Abdul Razak, aliases Azziz and Jimmy, a 21 year-old footballer, was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for stealing. Razak, who pleaded guilty with explanation, was initially charged with armed robbery but based upon his explanation to the court, the judge reduced his charge from armed robbery to stealing.
The facts of the car robbery case as presented to the court by the police were that on or about May 20, 2007, around 11pm Atta Joe, the complainant in the case, was driving his Toyota Corona taxi cab with registration number GT4490D around Kaneshie Pamplona, when Phillip Nii Armah Tagoe, Nii Abbey Mensah and two others on the run, namely, Nortey and Junior, stopped him and hired him to take them to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
According to the police prosecution, at a point on their way, the accused persons and the two accomplices at large ordered the driver to stop and unaware of the danger he faced, he did so. The accused persons brought out cutlasses and succeeded in robbing him of his car, driver's license and an amount of GH¢73.00.
The complainant reported the incident to the Korle-Bu Police who sent a wire message around to all police stations within Accra. A police patrol team saw the accused persons at Odorkor and pursued them.
During the hot chase, the accused persons abandoned the car and took to their heels. Philip Nii Armah Tagoe was arrested in the process and sent to the Korle-Bu Police station, where the complainant identified him.
In his cautious statement to the police, Nii Armah Tagoe, mentioned Nii Abbey Mensah as his accomplice. On October 21, 2007, Nii Abbey Mensah was arrested at his hideout at Mateheko. He also confessed in his cautioned statement to the police.
Concerning the bag snatching, the facts were that on or about May 17, 2006, about 1pm, the complainant in the case, Mavis Quaye, was returning home from work on foot, when she was attacked by a cutlass-wielding Abdul Razak at Alaska in Nima.
He forcefully took the complainant's bag containing one Motorola phone valued at GH¢140.00, one Nokia phone charger valued at GH¢6.00, two necklaces worth GH¢30.00 and cash of GH¢13.00, all totaling GH¢189.00.
The complainant, who was able to identify the accused person with the assistance of a bystander, reported the matter to the police. Abdul Razak was traced to his hideout and was arrested for investigation.
During mitigation, Razak who was not legally represented told the court that he has never done such a thing before and therefore pleaded with the court to have mercy on him. "I have not done such a thing before. I was walking with a friend, I took the bag but did not use a cutlass," he told the court.
Although he pleaded guilty with explanation, based upon his explanation to the court, the judge reduced his charge from armed robbery to stealing.
According to the judge, the explanation of Abdul Razak was in part a denial of armed robbery but admission of stealing. He was of the view that there will be no reason to go into a full trial to prove that Abdul Razak used a cutlass. He consequently discharged him of the armed robbery charge but convicted him for stealing.
When the court asked the complainant whether her bag and contents has been recovered to her she replied in the negative. Razak was therefore asked whether he can pay her back which he answered in the positive. He said his relatives, who were not in court, are willing to pay the lady but she has refused.
However, a letter written by Razak’s grandfather which was read to the court by the police prosecution indicated that he is not in any position to pay any money back.
The judge therefore sentenced him to 5 years imprisonment.
In all the two cases, the accused persons, the court was told were first time offenders.
Comments
Post a Comment