Court jails two men 45 years each for robbing and raping woman

Two persons who robbed and raped a married woman at gunpoint at Oyibi during a robbery operation have been sentenced to 45 years imprisonment each by an Adentan Circuit Court.

The convicts, both electricians, are Kelvin Logan Lonny Bless, 28, and Eric Ahenbi Laryea, 26.

The court sentenced Bless and Laryea to 25 years on the charge of conspiracy to commit crime and 45 years each on the charge of Robbery at the end of the trial.

The sentences will run concurrently.

Prince Djentuh Selorm Kofi was however acquitted and discharged by the trial judge, Mrs Awo Sedinam Awo Balokah on the charge of abetment of crime.

An accomplice in the crime, Masawudu Zuberu, is still at large.

The prosecution led by Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo said the complainant is a business consultant, residing at Kas Valley Estate at Oyibi

Bless resides at Amrahia, while Laryea lives at Oyibi. Kofi also resides at Adenta in Accra.

The prosecution said on September 15, 2021, at about 2100 hours, Bless and Laryea together with Zuberu, met at Oyibi and planned to rob the complainant.

The prosecutor stated at about 1230 hours on September 16, 2021, the accused persons who were armed with a cutlass and pump action rifle went to Kas Valley Estates, caused damage to the electric fence on the wall of the complainant, and jumped into the compound.

The prosecution said the accused persons gained access to the complainant’s storey building  and used a ladder to climb to the top of the building.

They opened the windows and had access to the bedroom of the complainant, who was with his wife at the time.

The complainant and his wife, on seeing the accused persons, ran downstairs to take refuge, but were pursued by the convicts and their accomplice.

According to the prosecution, Bless got a knife from the complainant’s kitchen, took his wife naked upstairs, and raped her.

It said Zuberu also came in and raped the complainant’s wife. Bless, however, stopped Laryea when he also attempted to have his turn.

The prosecution said the accused persons demanded money from the complainant, who gave them a wallet which contained GH¢2,000. They also took $100 from the complainant’s wife.

Not satisfied with what they had taken from the complainants, the accused persons made away with a 65-inch Samsung television set, two speakers, travelling bags, an HP Laptop, a Huawei, and Samsung mobile phones all valued at GH¢19,600.

The prosecution said at about 0130 hours, Zuberu called one Prince Djentum Selorm Kofi to take the items to his residence at Adenta.

Selorm Kofi assisted Laryea in collecting the items into the taxi and went to offload them into Zuberu’s room.

According to the prosecution, Selorm Kofi requested Zuberu to deliver the HP laptop to Madina, which was then sold for GH¢400 at Zongo Junction around 1000 hours the following day.

In September 2021, Laryea was apprehended and admitted to the offence, naming Bless and Zuberu as accomplices.

The prosecution said Bless was picked up by the police on September 22, 2021.