Four convicts escape 35 years imprisonment

In a year and three-month long trial, the convicts, three Nigerians and a Ghanaian, Destiny Obamowonyi, 30, Edionwe Bright, 30, Kingsley Ogberum, 23, and Peter Arthur, 23, were found guilty of robbing a couple of their iPhone six and 12 pro max, Samsung galaxy A10, a Lenovo laptop, two wedding rings, $325 and GH¢8,500. 

On the day of their sentence hearing, March, 3, 2023, the convicts who had been absent for the most parts of their trial, once again failed to appear before an Adenta Circuit Court, presided over by Her Honour (H/H), Sedinam Awo Balokah. 

According to the Judge, Ms Balokah, their failure to be present in court did not hinder the discharge of justice and so were convicted and sentenced but have since not been found by the police.

The Judge has issued an arrest warrant for the convicts, who are now fugitives of the law.

The case as presented in court by Chief Inspector (C/Insp) Maxwell Lanyo was that, the complainants, Selorm Komla Tettey and Susana Kwadjo were a couple and residents of Adenta, Amrahia in Accra while the convicts, were residents of Amrahia, Greenfields Estate.

According to the prosecutor, on November, 14, 2021, the Oyibi Police Station received a distress call about the said armed robbery attack from the complainants.

He said a police team proceeded to the residence of the complainants who said a few minutes prior to their arrival, they had been attacked and robbed of the items by four armed men.

He said the police then inspected the surrounding areas and intercepted a private Toyota Passo car which had the accused persons on board.

C/Insp Lanyo added that even though the vehicle contained items, they were not the items the complainants had reported missing.

He said the first convict, Obamowonyi, claimed ownership of the items; however, the complainants identified the convicted persons as their attackers.

The prosecutor said the convicts denied knowledge of the said robbery. The case was investigated and they were charged with conspiring to commit the robbery and for the theft of the items.

The convicts now fugitives were sentenced to 30 years imprisonment with hard labour on count one (conspiring to commit the crime). 

Obamowonyi, Arthur and Ogberum however received an additional sentence of 35 years on count two (robbery). Their sentence is to run concurrently with count one, thus to serve the highest sentence of 35 years.

Trial
According to the prosecutor, when the convicts were first presented before the court, they pleaded not guilty to all charges and so a trial ensued to ascertain their guilt or innocence. 

“Initially the convicts, then accused, were denied a bail request as they were considered flight risks and could hinder police investigations.

Over the course of the trial, the convicts were granted bail and that was when they became infrequent in court”, the prosecutor said.

“Several bench warrants had been issued for their arrest on different occasions during the trial but to no avail.

The convicts also produced an alibi that did hold up in court. They gave conflicting accounts as to the time and place they were at the time of the attack”, the prosecutor stated.