Trader jailed 13 years over robbery 

A 34-year-old trader has been sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment by the Asante Akropong circuit court in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District for committing robbery at Koraase-Nyamebekyere, near Mankranso. 

Ibrahim Halidu, a Fulani, pleaded guilty and was convicted on his own plea. 

He had been in custody and assisting police in investigations since 2023. 

His accomplice, 39-year-old Belco Hammer, alias Jerego, pleaded not guilty and was remanded into prison custody to come again before the court presided by Mrs Gloria Mensah Bonsu, on January 29, this year, for trial. 

Police Detective Inspector Alexander Agbekpornu told the court that the complainants in the case were four drivers from Betiako and Abonsuaso, near Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North District. 

He said, on September 4, 2023, the Ashanti Regional Police Command received an intelligence from the Mankranso police that, seven armed men had attacked and robbed commuters at Koraase-Nyamebekyere of their mobile phones and cash and were heading towards Kumasi. 

Prosecution said, an intelligence team was dispatched to Abuakwa-Tanoso, where a stop and search operation was conducted. 

According to the Prosecution, a single barrel gun with 23 rounds of redstar cartridges was found in a black bag belonging to the convict. 

He was then arrested. 

During interrogation, he admitted and mentioned Hammer and five others as his accomplices. 

He led the police to Dichemso, a suburb of Kumasi, where Hammer was arrested, but the rest managed to escape. 

Detective Inspector Agbekpornu, said the complainants later went to the police and identified their phones. 

After further investigations, the suspects were charged and brought before the court.