The man, who allegedly robed and kidnaped a businessman at Dambai in the Volta Region, has been sentenced to a total of 38 years imprisonment by the Jasikan Circuit Court.
Mohammed Gariba was handed 30 years for robbery and eight years for kidnapping to run concurrently, contrary to section 23(1),49 and 89 of the criminal and other offences Act 1960 (Act 29).
The convict was sentenced after pleading guilty to the charges of kidnaping and robbery by the court presided by Mr Alfred Kwabena Asiedu.
The Director of the Police Public Affairs, Superintendent of Police Sheila Abayie Kessie-Buckman, briefed the Ghanaian Times in Accra, yesterday, about the conviction.
She said the authorities would receive Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) report on the convict before taking him to prison.
Sup. Kessie-Buckman told the court that Gariba and an accomplice, Usman, (now deceased) were arrested by the police for alleged robbery and kidnapping of a businessman, at Dambai.
She said the convict and Usman, and three accomplices, who were on the run, and being sought for by the police, were reported to have kidnapped Alhaji Kwara, and his family paid a ransom of GH¢70,000 before he was released.
Sup. Kessie-Buckman said on November 20, 2020, a commercial motor rider accompanied by another man reported at the Dambai police that on same day at about 5:00pm, Alhaji Kwara, a friend of the motor rider, hired his services to convey him with his motorcycle to Kunchambo, where he lived.
The court heard that on their way, they were attacked by five masked men, who were holding pistols, who robbed Alhaji Kwara of GH¢300, the motorcycle with registration number M-18-GR 3725 and kidnapped Alhaji Kwara to an unknown location.
Sup. Kessie-Buckman said on November 23, 2020, at 11pm, the robbers released the victim after he and his family had paid the GH¢70,000 ransom.
She said that on November 24,2020, at 4pm an Accra bound VIP bus was intercepted at a barrier at Dambai.
Sup. Kessie-Buckman said two men, who gave their names as Muhammad Gariba and Usman carrying bags containing large sums of money, were arrested for further search to be conducted on the bus.
She said both suspects admitted having taken part in the robbery and kidnapping, and GH¢27,000 was retrieved from them.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI
