Carpenter jailed 15 years for robbery

An Adentan Circuit Court on Monday sentenced a 35-year-old carpenter to 15 years for robbing a lady of her iPhone 11 valued at GHC3,500.

Kingsley Mawuli Kplende is said to have robbed the lady, Grace Dzre Lawal after using a pair of scissors to threaten her.

Charged with robbery, Kplende pleaded guilty before the court presided over by Mrs Sedinam Awo Kwadam.

Kplende told the court: “My lady, I am guilty, tamper justice with mercy.”

The court convicted Kplende of his plea and sentenced him to 15 years imprisonment in hard labour.

It further ordered that the retrieved phone be handed over to the complainant.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Anim Darko, said the complainant was a student and a resident of Lakeside Community 5, and the accused person, now a convict, was a resident of East Legon Hills.

It said on May 19, 2024, the complainant, who was also a part time waitress, closed from work at about 4:35 am.

The court heard that on her way back home and on reaching Lakeside Community 4, Last Stop, she saw the convict approaching her from behind.

The prosecution said when the convict got closer to the complainant, he pulled a pair of scissors on her and demanded her phone.

It said the complainant became nervous and fell and, in the process, the complainant got injured and the convict snatched her iPhone 11 and took to his heels.

According to the prosecutor, the complainant shouted for help and some people who were near the scene chased the convict and apprehended him.

The court was told that police intelligence disclosed that the convict whiles running away from the scene, threw the phone into a nearby bush.

The prosecution said Kplende during interrogation and in his caution statement, admitted the offence.