APPRENTICE JAILED 19 YEARS FOR ROBBERY (MIRROR, PAGE 19)

From: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi.

A 25-year-old man who conspired with three others to rob a Kumasi-based taxi driver of his car, money and other personal items at gunpoint, has been jailed 18 years by the Kumasi High Court.
Maxwell Chibsah, alias Ebo, who claimed to be a Heavy Duty Operator apprentice together with the accomplices who were identified as Buckman, Redbone and Cyborg Killer, now at large, armed with locally manufactured pistols and knives, attacked the driver, Mr Kwaku Appiah and robbed him of his car, a cell phone valued at GH¢20 and GH¢35 cash.
Chibsah however, pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to rob and robbery when he appeared before the court, presided over by Justice K.A. Pobee.
Presenting the facts, a State Attorney, Mr Emmanuel Lawrence Otoo-Boison, told the court that on January 31, 2007 at about 8:30 p.m., Chibsah and his accomplices hired the taxi at Tafo and directed the driver to take them to Moshie Zongo. On reaching the Komfo Anokye Senior High School, the passengers asked the driver to stop for them to alight.
He said as soon as the driver stopped, the convict pulled the ignition key while one of his accomplices pulled out a locally manufactured pistol, warning the driver he would blow his head if he made any noise.
Mr Otoo- Boison said before the taxi driver could react, one of the accomplices hit him on the eye and they pulled him out from the vehicle and beat him mercilessly, after which Chibsah took control of the vehicle and sped off.
He said they took away the driver’s sales of GH¢35 and the phone.
The prosecutor said they used the vehicle to rob about 23 others of their mobile phones, cash and other personal items.
He said the gang encountered a Police Patrol Team at Dechemso and in an attempt to arrest the robbers, an exchange of gun fire ensued, resulting in the death of one of the robbers, identified as Muhammed Muntari, alias Sofo.
Mr Otoo-Boison said just then, Chibsah abandoned the taxi and together with his accomplices, managed to escape from the scene.
A search conducted in the vehicle by the police retrieved 25 assorted mobile phones and two locally manufactured pistols.
He said police investigations led to the arrest of Chibsah on May 19, 2009.