It was a peaceful and quiet morning yesterday at the Accra Circuit Court ’10’ when Mrs. Evelyn Asamoah took her seat to deliver judgement on a husband and wife, who had been standing trial for various criminal charges since 2018.
Before the delivery of the judgement, Joyce Sarfowaa and her husband, Frank Obeng, were asked by the judge to sit down before she read the judgement.
However, after the court found them guilty on all criminal counts – conspiracy to commit a crime, to wit stealing, stealing, abetment and money laundering – gave an opportunity to make the couple make a plea before their sentencing.
The couple’s counsel took that opportunity to plead on their behalf.
Unfortunately, after the judge heard their counsel and resumed to hand down Joyce and Frank’s sentence, proceedings had to be halted for Her Honour to take refuge in her Chamber.
The chaotic scene was due to the fact that the judge sentenced Joyce and Frank to 10 years and 15 years in hard labour (IHL) respectively.
Frank, who was seated after the bar, moved unexpectedly aggressive towards the bench amid screaming.
Frank was shouting in Twi at the judge asking where did she know him from for her to jail him 15 years.
His wife was also all over the place screaming whether she was dreaming or not.
Nevertheless, due to the timely intervention of the Court Warrant Officers (CWOs), Frank was overpowered and restrained from attacking the judge.
Frank also unbuttoned his blue shirt and was about remove his trousers as well, but was equally restrained.
Sweating profusely, Frank cursed that he would rather die than go to jail, while his wife was lamenting over who would take care of her five years child.
The prosecution officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Haligah, called the Police National Headquarters for reinforcement.
After several minutes, the reinforcement team arrived, handcuffed the couple, and drove off with them.
A woman believed to be the mother of convict Joyce also threw herself on the floor shivering, screaming, and crying uncontrollably.
Other family members and sympathisers who thronged the court wept bitterly when the two were being transported from the yard.
Her Honour Mrs. Asamoah, after taking refuge for almost an hour in her chamber, by which time the convicts had been taken away, returned to complete the reading of her judgement.
She sentenced Joyce to 10 years imprisonment on stealing, and Frank 10 and 15 years imprisonment on money laundering and abetment respectively.
The court further ordered that a Toyota Venza and landed property acquired by the convicts be given to Mavis Offan, the complainant, as the properties were acquired with proceeds of crime.
Similarly, mother care items retrieved from the convicts were also to be returned to the complainant, as well as an amount of GH¢712,229.00.
The convicts pleaded not guilty to the offences, hence, the case went through a full-length trial, since 2018.
Joyce was a shop attendant for Mavis Offan, a businesswoman who deals in mother care products at Okaishie in Accra.
Joyce stole items worth over GH¢800,000.00 from her employer to establish herself, bought landed property, and a Toyota Venza for her then boyfriend, Frank.
