Two drivers, who conspired to assault and robbed a taxi driver of his cab were on Wednesday sentenced to a total of forty years imprisonment in hard labour for robbery
They had used powdered pepper unto the eyes of the cab driver before robbing him of his taxi, mobile phone and cash.
A Kumasi Circuit Court convicted the two Clement Kwadwo Senyanta and Bright Avornyo, after they had pleaded guilty to the charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery convicted them on their own plea to 20 years imprisonment each.
Prosecuting, ASP Florence Adda, told the Court presided over by Madam Patricia Amponsah, that the two convicts are residents of Atwima Boko, near Kumasi while Osei Bonsu, the complainant is a cab driver who lives at Krofrom, a suburb of Kumasi.
The Prosecution said the incident happened on 11th February, 2019 at about 0100 hours when the complainant driving his Toyota Corolla taxi cab with registration number, GR-491-10, was hired by the convicts at Bantama to convey them to Agric Nzema, all suburbs in Kumasi.
She said he obliged and set off to the destination with the convicts but on reaching Agric Nzema the accused persons requested to alight at the Agric College area.
The prosecution said when getting closer to that precincts, they ordered the cab driver to stop which he did.
She said Senyanta who was in the back seat then grabbed driver’s head from behind and gave him a hefty slap on one cheek, after which he splashed his eyes with the hot powdered pepper.
She said Senyanta subsequently pushed him out of the car and Avornyo, his accomplice took charge of the driving seat and sped off with the car including the complainant’s Samsung S-7 mobile phone valued GH¢1,200.00 and the cash sum of GH¢600.00.
The Prosecution said the complainant cried for help after which some residents assisted him to find his way home.
ASP Adda said the driver later reported the matter to the police and on 5th March, 2019, the police, upon a tip-off arrested the convicts at Kukuom, near Goaso in the Ahafo Region, where they intercepted the vehicle.
They were subsequently charged after investigations and arraigned.
GNA