Eric Afful, 21, was convicted of abetment of robbery and sentenced to 20 years, while his accomplices, Abdul Ganiu, 24, and David Mensah alias Rasta, 26, received concurrent sentences of 15 years for conspiracy and 22 years for robbery.
The court, presided over by His Honour Isaac Appiatu, delivered the sentences on September 8, 2026.
The case involved the robbery of Derrick Arthur, a gold buyer based at Adansi Nkrankese, who was attacked while travelling to Ataase Nkwanta for a MoMo transaction.
According to the prosecution, Afful was a friend of the complainant and regularly transported him for his gold business.
However, on September 3, 2026, Afful allegedly met Ganiu and Mensah at Mensah’s residence at Kojo Mankrong and told them he needed GH¢2,000 to settle a debt owed to one Ben and recover his seized motorbike.
The prosecution said Afful then proposed that they rob the complainant, whom he knew carried money and valuables in connection with his gold business.
Ganiu and Mensah allegedly agreed to the plan.
Later that evening, at about 8:00 p.m., Arthur called Afful to pick him up from Nkrankese and take him to Ataase Nkwanta for a MoMo transaction.
The prosecution said Afful immediately contacted his accomplices, transported them to a cocoa farm along the Akwaaku road and concealed them there before returning for the complainant.
While transporting Arthur, Afful allegedly slowed the motorbike and deliberately diverted into the area where Ganiu and Mensah were hiding.
Ganiu reportedly attacked the complainant with a cassava stick and forcibly took his backpack, which contained a digital mining scale valued at GH¢1,500, melting gas worth GH¢800, two pounds of gold valued at GH¢22,000 and GH¢10,000 cash.
When Arthur attempted to pursue Ganiu, Mensah allegedly confronted him with a cutlass and took his iPhone 12 mini valued at GH¢2,500.
The three suspects subsequently took the stolen items to Mensah’s residence, where they reportedly spent the night.
Arthur reported the incident at the police barrier at Kojo Mankrong.
The following day, September 4, Afful allegedly visited Mensah’s residence, where the three shared GH¢6,000 from the stolen money.
Police investigations subsequently led to the arrest of the three men.
Mensah was first arrested at Apagya and, according to the prosecution, confessed to the robbery before leading officers to Afful at Obonsu and Ganiu at Asonkore.
A search resulted in the recovery of GH¢2,000 from Afful and another GH¢2,000 from Ganiu.
Police also retrieved Arthur’s iPhone 12 mini and GH¢2,705 from Mensah.
The complainant’s backpack was recovered from the cocoa farm where the suspects had reportedly hidden, but the two pounds of gold valued at GH¢22,000 was not found.
At the end of the proceedings, the court discharged Afful on the conspiracy count but convicted him of abetment of robbery and sentenced him to 20 years.
Ganiu and Mensah were each sentenced to 15 years for conspiracy and 22 years for robbery, with their sentences ordered to run concurrently.
