From George Ernest Asare, Kumasi.
A 24-year-old man, Prince Adu Boakye, has been sentenced to serve 80 years’ jail term with hard labour over a robbery case that led to the death of his friend.
Moments after the Kumasi Circuit Court, presided over by Justice Amo Yartey, had convicted him last Monday, Boakye, who appeared miserable and downhearted, pleaded with the judge to reduce the sentence.
“I have regretted playing a part that led to the death of my friend. Even though I took part in the booty I did not pull the trigger that took the life of my friend, so you should temper justice with mercy and reduce the sentence for me,” he pleaded.
Responding, Justice Amo Yartey said he took into consideration the fact that the convict pleaded guilty in the robbery case, leading to a speedy trial.
He said he also took into consideration the fact that the convict remained remorseful throughout the trial, adding, “But for the fact that you pleaded guilty to the charge and looked repentant throughout the trial, I would have convicted you to serve over 100 years’ jail term to serve as a deterrent to others,“ Justice Yartey explained.
Prosecuting, a State Attorney, Mr Emmanuel Lawrence Otoo-Boison, said the convict was a trader at the Central Market, while the victim of the robbery case, Atta Obiri Yaw, now deceased, was a black market money dealer also at the Central market.
He said on August 3, 2009, a complainant in the case, Eric Apraku Gyamfi, who deals in mobile phones, gave a cheque for GH¢150,000 to Atta to cash at the bank in exchange of the equivalent in dollars.
According to the State Attorney, Atta was able to give $35,000.00 to Apraku after the transactions, leaving a balance of $65,000 but Apraku travelled to Dubai and instructed Atta to give the balance to his father.
The prosecutor said Atta contacted Boakye, who was his friend, to assist him to change GH¢96,200 into dollars and Boakye readily accepted to assist.
He said Boakye then directed Atta to meet him at the Bibiani Logging and Lumber Company (BLLC) at Kaase, a Kumasi suburb, to enable him (the convict) to secure the needed dollars from a friend called George Wireko Brobbey.
He said Atta, accompanied by another friend, Kwasi Adjei, went to the BLLC with the GH¢96,200, where he waited for Boakye at the reception. Boakye later got there in the company of a friend, Arnold Osei Darbo, in a VW Golf saloon car with registration number AS5188 A.
The prosecutor said when they arrived, Boakye allegedly asked Atta to wait for him as he entered Wireko Brobbey’s office.
Mr Otoo-Boison said Boakye returned with a cheque and asked Atta to accompany him to the bank to withdraw the money because he had secured the dollar cheque from Wireko Brobbey.
He said at the bank Boakye allegedly told Atta that the bank manager had asked for sometime to enable him to arrange for the money from another branch of the bank.
Consequently, Boakye drove to a hotel for them to wait for the bank manager’s call and at about 3:30 p.m, Boakye picked another friend and together with Atta left to go to the bank but whilst on the way Boakye stopped with the excuse that he was picking a parcel in the car boot for a friend.
According to Mr Otoo-Boison, Boakye had by then loaded a pump action gun in the boot, so when he went there, he picked the loaded gun, aimed and fired at Atta, killing him instantly in the car.
The prosecutor said the body was dumped at Apre, near St, Hubert Catholic Seminary whilst the culprits bolted with the GH¢96,200.
He said on August 4, 2009, the convict was arrested and during investigations, he led the police to the hotel where he had abandoned the VW Golf saloon car.
Mr Otoo-Boison said when the police inspected the car, they found the pair of shoes belonging to the deceased and also found seven live cartridges and the pump action gun.
He said the convict admitted the offence during investigations and later pleaded guilty to the offence.
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