A member of a robbery gang that robbed people of their mobile phones and GHȼ9,560 in a robbery operation at a mining site has been jailed.
Richard Karikari, 18-year-old driver, who was charged with conspiracy to rob and robbery contrary to Section 149 of Act 29/60, was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment on each count in hard labour by the Bekwai Circuit Court, presided over by Fredrick Nawura. The sentences are to run concurrently.
Richard and his three accomplices- Seth Asante, a certain John and Albert, who are at large, embarked on a robbery operation on September 1, 2016 at Hiayeya, near Jacobu in the Ashanti Region.
The prosecutor, Detective Inspector Stephen Ofori, told the court that the complainant, Lio Ling Hai, is a Chinese national resident at Dunkwa, while the convict and his accomplices reside at Hiayeya, near Jacobu.
On August 26, 2016, the convict and his gang members conspired to rob the complainant who has a mining site at Hiayaye.
According to the prosecutor, John, who is currently at large, procured a single barrel gun, 2BB cartridges and three machetes for the gang to carry out the operation.
Inspector Ofori said at about 9:00 am on September 1, 2016, the robbery gang laid ambush for the complainant and his workers on a road leading to Hiayaye.
He narrated that around 12:00 noon, the complainant, his driver and another worker set off in their pick up to the site.
On reaching a section of the road, he disclosed that the armed robbers emerged from the bush, stopped the vehicle and attacked the victims.
Prosecution asserted that they fired warning shots to scare the victims and ordered them to lie down which they complied without hesitation.
He indicated that Karikari and Albert, who were wielding machetes, robbed the victims of their two mobile phones valued at GHȼ4,000, a laptop worth GHȼ1,500, an Ipad valued at GHȼ1,000 and cash of GHȼ2,500 and US$655 in a bag.
They also took Lio Ling Hai’s Chinese passport before leaving the scene, the police prosecutor told the court.
He said a member of the gang mentioned the name of Richard Karikari during the robbery.
The complainant informed the town folks, who assisted the police to arrest Richard in his room, but the trio managed to escape.
Inspector Ofori said the convict later led the police to retrieve the weapons used for the operation at the mining site.
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