Two jailed 50 years for auto robbery

Two persons, who sprayed powered pepper into the eyes of a taxi driver in their bid to snatch his vehicle and rob him of money, have been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment each by an Accra Circuit Court.

The complainant George Obeng whiles struggling with the convicts, bit the finger of Sunday Bawa, and sensing danger, they both took to their heels.

Sunday Bawa, aka Joe Apussy and Musah Ayuba, both labourers, were found guilty on the charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery after the trial presided over by Mrs. Evelyn Asamoah.

Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Emmanuel Haligah, who narrated the fact said the complainant George Obeng was a taxi driver residing at Kasoa, Liberia Camp.
The prosecution said Bawa and Ayuba resided at Teshie Tebibiano, Accra.

The prosecution said on November 22, 2020, at about 1:00 am, the accused persons, now convicts, hired the services of the complainant, then the driver of Hyundai Gert Taxi with registration number GW 5836-20, to transport them from Circle to Teshie.
It said on reaching a spot near the LEKMA Hospital, the convicts told the driver that they had reached their destination and Bawa pretended he wanted to pay for the fare and sprayed pepper powder into the eyes of the complainant whiles Ayuba forcibly took the ignition key.

The prosecution said the complainant, however, got hold of Bawa’s hand and bit his right middle finger and the convicts, sensing danger, bolted away with the ignition key and cash in the sum of GHC 350.00, leaving their X-Inova mobile phone in the complainant’s vehicle.

It said the complainant sustained injuries to the mouth and during investigations, Bawa was arrested and he identified the mobile phone he and Ayuba left in the complainant’s car as Ayuba’s phone.

The prosecution said Bawa led the Police to arrest Ayuba from his hideout and Ayuba also led the police to retrieve the ignition key of the Hyundai Gert Taxi from his room.

It said the accused persons, in their respective caution statements, admitted the offence and said they also stole a vehicle on October 18, 2020, which was being investigated by the Police at Teshie.