An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a trader, Ackon Sarfo to 18 years imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and causing unlawful harm.
He was put before the court after he slashed a cleaner’s arm with a knife and snatched her hand bag at Spintex, a suburb of Accra.
The convict pleaded with the court that he had no initial intention to harm the victim, Justine Atankuga, but she got hurt during the struggle over her hand bag.
However, the court presided over by Ms. Eva Bannerman-Williams sentenced Sarfo to 18 years imprisonment on the charge of robbery.
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The convict was sentenced to pay a fine of GHC 480.00 in respect of the charge of causing unlawful harm or in default, serve four years imprisonment.
The sentences are to run concurrently.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Kwabena Adu narrated to the court that both the complainant, Ms. Atankuga and the convict lived at Spintex.
He said on September 26, this year, around 0500 hours, Ms. Atankuga was on her way to work at GT Bank, Spintex branch.
According to Chief Inspector Kwabena Adu, on reaching a section of the road in front of BCM Construction Workshop, the victim spotted Sarfo pretending to be repairing his faulty bicycle.
The prosecution said the complainant greeted the convict, but he declined to respond, so she moved on.
No sooner did the complainant walk past the accused than he followed her, pulled a knife and ordered her to handover her bag, containing two mobile phones valued at GH¢1000.
The convict, after taking the hand bag, slashed her right arm and absconded.
The prosecutor said the complainant shouted for help and some security men came to her rescue and succeeded in arresting the convict.