A 24-year-old welder, Kwame Adjei, has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment in hard labour for robbery.
He pleaded guilty when he appeared before the Jasikan Circuit Court on June 27 and was convicted on his own plea.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Seth Vincent Kpodo, prosecuting, told the court, presided over by Mr. Michael Johnson Abbey that the complainant was a part-time Okada rider resident at Dain-konta in the Republic of Togo.
He said on June 22, this year, at about 1500 hours, the complainant parked his ‘Haojue Metro’ red and black coloured motorbike waiting on it for a passenger.
ACP Kpodo said while the complainant was waiting, the convict hired him to Kadjebi and was charged 2500.00 CFA, which he readily agreed to pay.
He said the complainant moved his motorbike with the pillion, the accused, and crossed the Menuso, Ghana-Togo main border and upon reaching the Menuso Custom check point, it began to rain.
ACP Kpodo said the convict insisted they continued the journey in the rain and upon reaching a bushy area at Bogos junction and between Menuso and Kadjebi on the Kadjebi-Nkwanta highway, the convict poured a peppery substance into the face of the complainant, which blindfolded him at once.
He said the complainant quickly stopped and used his motorbike remote control to lock the engine and bolted to safety.
ACP Kpodo said the convict then robbed the complainant of his motorbike and pushed it away.
He said on the same day, the complainant went to Menuso town and raised an alarm, and a search party was raised to search for the convict together with the motorbike.
ACP Kpodo said in the course of the search, the complainant’s motorbike was found in a cocoa farm at Bogos Kope area and the accused was also traced and arrested at Kadjebi Main Lorry Station.
He said the accused was then handed over to the Kadjebi Police and a search on him revealed the key of the stolen motorbike leading to his arrest.
ACP Kpodo said the Police also conducted an identification parade and the complainant identified the accused as the assailant.
He said in the accused’s investigations caution statement, he admitted the offence.