A 20-year-old motorbike repairer, Mustapha Mohammed, who was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment by an Accra Circuit Court for robbery, wept uncontrollably yesterday.
The convict robbed the victim of her Infinix mobile phone valued at GH?650 on February 21, 2018.
He was put before the court on charges of robbery.
The convict snatched the complainant’s phone from her while riding an unregistered motorbike.
He pleaded guilty and was convicted on his own plea.
He, however, virtually turned the courtroom into a funeral ground, as the presiding judge Mr Aboagye Tandoh asked him if he had anything to say before sentencing.
The convict immediately went down on his knees to beg for mercy.
He raised his white rosary and told the court that he had learnt his lessons and would not repeat the act.
The spectacle was so sad that an onlooker also wept uncontrollably.
The judge said the convict plead for mercy and showed remorse “in a way that is exciting to even touch the heart of God.”
He, therefore, sentenced the convict to 10 years’ imprisonment, which is the minimum for robbery.
Even after he was sentenced, he still could not hold back the tears.
Superintendent of Police, Kwaku Bempah told the court that the complainant who is a student of the University of Ghana was returning from lectures when the convict met her at Vivian Junction in the Greater Accra Region.
He said the convict was riding an Apsonic motorbike and suddenly snatched the complainant’s mobile phone and sped away, but the complainant quickly held his shirt, hanged on to the motorbike and shouted for help.
“The convict dragged the complainant with the motorbike to a distance and in the process people rushed to the rescue of the complainant and chased him. The convict and the complainant fell into a gutter, resulting in injuries. He was arrested and transported to the charge office,” Supt Bempah told the court.
By Gibril Abdul Razak