By Erica Apeatua Addo
Tarkwa (W/R), May 17, GNA-Two small-scale miners who appeared before the Tarkwa Circuit Court for robbing a businesswoman of her gold and money to the tune of GH¢97,977, have accordingly been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment each in hard labour.
Eric Aheli alias Abiggy and Steven Oppong alias Sabato Particulars, both 25 years old, pleaded guilty to the offence.
The two prayed for mercy and promised they would not commit such a crime again.
Prosecuting, Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, told the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu that Doris Zawu, is the complainant while Aheli, Oppong and their accomplice Michael Arhin who is at large resided at Wassa Dompoase in the Wassa Amenfi East Municipality.
On February 20, 2024, the complainant retired to bed and around 0100 hours, Aheli, Oppong and Arhin entered her room with a single barrel gun and robbed her of her gold worth GH¢62, 977 and cash sum of GH ¢35,000 after which they bolted with the gold and cash.
Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said the complainant reported the matter to the Nkonya police for investigation.
The prosecutor said while investigation was ongoing, the complainant identified the convicts, and they were picked up by the police where a cash sum of GH¢4,255 and GH¢6,400 were retrieved from Aheli and Oppong, respectively.
She said Aheli and Oppong further revealed that they sold the gold to a gold buyer at Wassa Akropong, but all efforts made by the police officers to apprehend the said buyer did not yield any results.
During the ruling, the judge said Aheli should be sent to the Sekondi Takoradi Prisons, while Oppong would serve his sentence at the Tarkwa Prisons.
Mrs Manu ordered the convicts to pay an amount of GH¢30,000 each to the complainant which might be recovered by way of a civil action.
She also issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Michael Arhin, and said the GH¢ 10, 655 retrieved from Aheli and Oppong should be given to the complainant.
GNA