An Accra Circuit Court has on Monday sentenced a trader to 15 years imprisonment in hard labour for Snatching an unregistered Toyota Camry valued at GHC 72,000.00 from its legal owner.
Abu Issah Safianu, alias “Exodus” denied conspiring with Yaw Pepprah, now at large, to rob the car belonging to one George Anang.
Prosecuting, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Nyamekye told the court presided over by Mrs Susana Eduful that Mr Anang, the complainant is a businessman based in Accra.
He said Safianu is a trader at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle whilst Preprah as well as Ernest Kofi Sarkodie are all friends.
ASP Nyamekye said on August 25, 2020, the complainant sent his unregistered Toyota Camry 2013 model with chassis number 4T1BFIFKXCU576144 valued at GHC72,000.00 to one Kwaku Twum, a mechanic whose workshop is located at Laterbiokorshie near Jay Quartey Plaza to put the car on sale.
The Prosecution said the car had the complainant’s telephone number displayed on it, adding that, the complainant received calls from the telephone numbers of the convict and his accomplices feigning interest in the car.
ASP Nyamekye said during a conversation one Sarkodie told the complainant that he is interested in the car and so would later let his son Safianu come and have a look at it.
The prosecution said a few minutes later Safianu called the complainant and presented himself as the son of Sarkodie and came to meet the complainant and Twum at the latter’s shop where the car was parked.
He said Safianu after inspecting the car bargained for the price and both parties pegged it at GHC68,000.00 per the instructions of Sarkodie.
Mr Nyamekye said at about 1630 hours the same day, Sarkodie called the complainant that he had sent his son Safianu with the agreed amount for the purchase of the car but the complainant advised that since it was late so they should come the next day.
ASP Nyamekye said on August 26, 2020, the complainant called Twum and instructed him to go and pick up Safianu from Block ‘B’ Nkrumah flats at Laterbiokorshie with the car for them to meet at the Prudential bank, near Obestebi Lamptey Circle Roundabout branch.
He said one Kwaku in the company of one Kenneth Adrigah picked Safianu and Peprah at the said location and r headed towards the bank.
The prosecution said Safianu sat behind the driver (Twum) whilst Peprah sat at the front passenger seat and on getting to Agogo-Abia Street, Safianu and Peprah requested that Twum should take them back.
He said whilst returning, on reaching Itoson street, Safianu pulled a pistol at Twum and ordered him to stop the car.
The prosecution said Peprah, immediately pushed the gear stick to neutral and forcefully took the ignition key from Twum’s pocket.
The prosecution said Peprah then took over the steering wheel and drove to Modern Academy Schoo also at Lartebiokoshie at gunpoint.
ASP Nyamekye said Safianu ordered Twum and his friend Kenneth Adrigah to alight from the car where Safianu marched them to a wooden store, instructed them to tie their shirts together and when they obliged, he shot Twum on the left shoulder.
He said the convict then joined Peprah in the car and sped off.
The Prosecution said a formal complaint was lodged with the Police and investigations began.
He said on November 17, 2020, during investigations, the convict was arrested from his hideout at Abossey Okai Zongo and two days later an identification parade was conducted where witness Twum identified Safianu as one of the culprits that robbed the car from him.
