A 26 year old man, Bala Zakariah has been a sentenced into 15 years imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court for robbery related offences.

Zakariah was conviction on April 13, 2021, after being on the counts of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery. 

Although he pleaded not guilty, the court presided over by Mrs Afia Owusu Appiah found him guilty on the counts levelled against him.

Towards Bala’s conviction, the facts presented by the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Gulliver Tenkorang indicate that the complainants in the case are Phil Aquila Appiah and Abel Kyere.

Thus, on September 7, 2019, the Abel Kyere was in his mother’s provision store around Yaweh School area at Ofankor when Phil Aquila Appiah visited to buy a crate of eggs.

After the transaction, Phil was waiting in front of the store for change when Bala arrived on a motorbike together with one Awudu, currently at large, to buy bottled water.  

Whilst Kyere was about to move to serve them, Bala quickly pulled out a gun and a long knife from his black jacket and threatened to stab or shoot him if he dares raised alarm.

Bala succeeded in robbing Kyere of GHC20.00, the sales for the night, and his Techno K.7 mobile phone.

Bala’s accomplice Bawa also at the same time was attacking Phil by holding his shirt tightly behind him and threatened to fire his legs if he make any attempt to flee. 

Bawa also succeeded in robbing Phil of his Techno Camon cell phone value GH₵750.00.

The convicts and Bawa after robbing the complainants, marched them into the store and fled on their Haejue Motorbike.

The prosecutor said in the course of investigation, Bala was arrested by witnesses in the case who were on stop and search duty around Achimota while on his Haejue motorbike with registration NO. M-16-GR5687.

When the convict was searched, assorted mobile phones including the Techno Camom, gun and the long knife were found concealed under the seat of the motorbike.

The convict was escorted to the Achimota Police Station and his movement restricted to assist Investigation.

He added that during investigations, the team of investigators including the Achimota District Police Commander, Supt. Mrs. Christine Srofenyoh went through the phones and came across M.T.N number 024… on the Techno Camon.

Chief Tenkorang, said Supt. Mrs. Christine Srofenyoh identified the number as belonging to her friend and placed a call to her immediately to confirm her suspicion.

As expected, the prosecutor said it then came to light that the complainants were robbed by the accused person and his accomplice, who has absconded.

The complainants were invited by Police to Achimota Police station and Phil was able to identify his Techno Camon Cell phone among others found on Bawa.

By Adelaide oforiwaa