Police Officer jailed for 40 years for robbery

CORPORAL Ghasty Yahaya Seidu, 37, with service number 43255 and attached to the Akuse District Police, has been sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison for robbery by a Circuit Court in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital.

The Presiding Judge, Mercy Addai Kotei, found him guilty of two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime, to wit robbery and robbery.

He is to serve 20 years for each count which runs concurrently for his involvement in a robbery operation at a fuel station during which the security officer at the location suffered injuries.

Corporal Seidu was arrested for his practical involvement in a robbery incident which occurred at Okwenya Shell Fuel Station on March 26, 2018.

He was picked up at Akosombo on April 26, 2018 following police intelligence.

Prosecuting, Assistant State Attorney Dickson Donkor told the court during the trial that a search conducted in the room of the policeman led to the retrieval of a pistol with two magazines and three 1.8mm ammunition, an axe, a knife, three paper spray cans, 10 wristwatches, a pair of handcuff and a bayonet.

The prosecutor noted that during the robbery operation, the suspect inflicted injuries on one Kudjo Akakpo, 42, a security man on duty at the fuel station.

The accused person pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy and robbery.

At the end of the trial, the presiding judge held that the prosecution was able to prove its case against the police officer and convicted him accordingly.

Meanwhile, Seth Kpornyo, a suspect in the same case, has been acquitted and discharged by the court after the judge held that prosecution could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was involved in the robbery.

Source: DailyGuide