6 Armed robbers jailed 230 years

Six armed robbers who attacked the Compass Oleum filling station at Akame on the Accra-Aflao road and their accomplice have been slapped with a total of 230 years’ imprisonment by the Ho High Court.

The convicts, Philip Awu, alias Flat Body; Kofi Avorkah, Ebenezer Mensah, alias Vulture; Hebron Dotsey, Paul Ahiabli and Dogbatsa Elolo, were facing two charges of conspiracy to commit crime to wit robbery and robbery, while their accomplice, Torgbi Sewordzi, had a charge of abetment of crime to wit robbery.

They are said to have robbed the station three years ago, shot the manager, one David Foli and bolted with $5,000 and a motorbike.

Yesterday, all the convicts were found guilty after full trial by the court, presided over by Justice Eric Baah, an Appeal Court judge, sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court judge.

Sentence

Each of the six robbers was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment on each count, and they will run concurrently.

Torgbi Sewordzi, however, received a 50-year jail term for being the one that masterminded the robbery at the filling station by providing the others with weapons for the crime.

The judge described Sewordzi as a dangerous person who was not fit to be in the society because of the way he conducted himself.

Facts

The facts as presented to the court by the State Attorney, Mr Andrews Adugu, are that on June 19, 2017, around 10 p.m. one Adams Freeman, a driver of a Toyota Corolla with registration number GG 1814-15 and Eric Ramsey Adams were travelling from Aflao towards Accra.

On reaching the filling station at Akame, they stopped to buy petrol but were attacked by the convicts who were armed with guns and machetes.

They reportedly succeeded in robbing Eric Adams of $5,000 and other valuables.

Manager shot

In the course of the robbery, Hebron shot the manager, David Foli, on the left rib and fled the scene on a motorbike.

One of the convicts also inflicted machete wounds on one Richmond Segbefia who sustained deep wounds at his back and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

The manager bled profusely and was also rushed to the Ketu South Municipal hospital for treatment. He was later referred to Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra where he passed.

Arrest

The convicts went into hiding but were later arrested from their hideouts.

During interrogation, they reportedly denied their involvement in the criminal act.

However, Dogbatsa Elolo admitted to the offence in his cautioned statement and revealed that it was Torgbi Sewordzi who contracted and supplied them with two locally manufactured pistols and a pump action gun for the robbery.

Investigations conducted by the police revealed the involvement of the convicts in the operation and they were subsequently charged and sent to court, leading to their eventual incarceration.