Three carjackers have been jailed for a total 345 years in hard labour by the Asokwa Circuit Court, in Kumasi, presided over by H.H. Fredrick Obikyere Esq.
The trio, Jeffrey Dwomoh, Clifford Opoku and Kwabena Kyei Barfour, were sentenced to prison on Wednesday, August 28, 2024.
After the case had proceeded to a full trial, judgement was delivered as follows: the first accused, Jeffrey Dwomoh, was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery, to a total of 120 years imprisonment in hard labour, 40 years each for the three dockets.
The second accused, Clifford Opoku, was found guilty by the court on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery and sentenced to a total of 120 years for the three dockets.
The third accused, Kwabena Kyei Barfour, was convicted for dishonestly receiving and also sentenced to a total of 105 years imprisonment in hard labour for all three dockets.
Others, including Prince Opuni, the fourth accused, was also found guilty by the court for reckless and inconsiderate driving and sentenced to pay a fine of 350 penalty units or in default 10 months in hard labour.
In addition, the court ordered him to pay a fine of GH¢5,000.00 for causing damage to a police vehicle.
The fifth accused, Henry Kusi Marfo, was acquitted on abetment of robbery but convicted for supplying ammunition to facilitate the robbery, breaching the arms and ammunitions Act 1972 NRCD 9, and sentenced to pay a total fine of 1,050 penalty units or in default, serve 15 months in hard labour. The fine has been paid.
The court, however, found suspects Richard Dogbatsey, a Customs officer and William Ansah, a clearing agent, not guilty on abetment of robbery.
BACKGROUND
The sentencing followed a painstaking intelligence that led to the arrest of carjackers and their accomplices who were terrorising residents in the Ashanti region.
On February 2, 2023 seven accused persons were arraigned before Asokwa Circuit Court, presided over by H.H. Fredrick Obikyere Esq.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty to various charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery abetment of crime, to wit, supply of ammunition and dishonestly receiving on three separate dockets.
