Accra: A Ho Circuit Court has convicted an armed robber, Paul Avortide, 25, to 19 years’ imprisonment for robbing a pregnant woman of her bag containing money and a mobile phone. He allegedly brandished a machete at the woman during the act in Ho.
According to Ghana News Agency, the unemployed Avortide, whose conviction came with hard labor, pleaded guilty to robbery in a court presided over by Mr. Osman Abdul Hakeem. His accomplice, Harmony Nbonu, 23, a mobile phone dealer, was charged with dishonestly receiving property belonging to Ms. Ogechi Chidiebere, a pregnant Nigerian national residing in Ho township.
Police Detective Sergeant, Mr. Kwadwo Otibu-Gyan, prosecuting, told the court that on May 21, at around 0400 hours in the New Housing area near Lord Hotel, Ho, the accused brandished a weapon and forcibly robbed the expectant mother of GHS 3,000 in cash and a Tecno Spark 30c smartphone worth GHS 2,500, then disappeared into the dark.
Ms. Chidiebere, on her way to the Ho Municipal Hospital for routine antenatal care, was left severely traumatized by the attack. The convict threatened to harm her if she did not hand over her bag, which he succeeded in snatching, leaving the victim to scream for help.
The victim later reported her ordeal to the Municipal Police Command. Detective Sergeant Otibu-Gyan said the Regional Intelligence Police Directorate, upon intelligence, arrested and retrieved the Tecno Spark 30c smartphone from Harmony on June 19, and he confessed Avortide sold the phone to him for GHC 850 on May 21.
The accused attempted to flee upon hearing of Harmony’s arrest but was apprehended on a getaway motorbike and subsequently confessed to his crime in his caution statement. The complainant was later invited to the station, where she identified Avortide and the mobile phone as her property, leading to his prosecution and sentencing.
Judge Abdul Hakeem, citing the aggravating nature of the crime, swiftly convicted Avortide on his own plea and imposed a 19-year hard labor sentence. The court emphasized the need for deterrent penalties for violent crimes, especially those endangering women and vulnerable persons.
The court described the crime as ‘despicable and heartless,’ particularly as it targeted a vulnerable pregnant woman seeking medical care. However, Harmony Nbonu was acquitted and discharged after the court found insufficient evidence linking him directly to the robbery beyond his involvement in purchasing the stolen item.
The judge ruled that mere possession and purchase of the phone, while incriminating, did not establish complicity in the primary offense.