Photo: Two Robbers Get 200 Years

Stephen Kweku Antwi alias �Bayerebon�, 34 and Nana Yaw Adu Gyamfi, 19, who robbed one Stephen Owusu-Ansah at Sefwi Anhwiaso in the Western Region at gunpoint and stabbed the victim in the process, were yesterday sentenced to a total of 200 years� imprisonment by the Takoradi Circuit Court �A�. The victim, who was rushed to Sefwi Anhwiaso health centre and was later referred to Bibiani Government Hospital, died on the way. The two convicts pleaded not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit crime, to wit robbery and robbery but the court found them guilty after the full trial of the case which lasted for close to two years and sentenced them to 100 years each. Giving the facts of the case to the court, the prosecutor, Frances Mullen Ansah, a senior state attorney, noted that the complainant in the case was one Rose Bediako, a trader and a wife of the deceased who lived at Sefwi Anhwiaso. She added that the first accused person was a trader and lived in the same vicinity while the second accused person was a mobile phone dealer who lived at Atwiima-Koforidua near Kumasi. According to the prosecuting, on December 16, 2010, at about 1.00 am, the complainant and the victim were asleep when the two convicts, in the company of about six young men, broke into their bedroom and ordered them at gunpoint to surrender all their money. The complainant started shouting and the criminals pointed the gun at her and threatened her to stop else they would shoot her. They then ordered the complainant to face a wall and not look at them. The victim told the robbers that he had used all his money and the rest was in the pair of trousers he wore to work the previous day. The criminals took the pair of trousers containing GH�520.00 and a mini bag containing the victim�s personal belongings and an unspecified amount of money. The two convicts asked the deceased to hand over his mobile phone but Owusu-Ansah told them that he had left his phone in his shop. This infuriated the convicts. The second convict stabbed the victim on his chest, after which they bolted. The complainant shouted for help and some neighbours rushed to the scene and helped to send the victim to Sefwi Anhwiaso Health centre. Owusu-Ansah was later referred to the Bibiani Government Hospital but died on the way. The complainant reported the incident to the police and after investigations, the accused persons were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit crime, to wit robbery and robbery. Before pronouncing his judgment, the circuit court judge, Kwesi Boakye, described the acts by the criminals as nasty, diabolic, brutish and reprehensible. From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi