Car snatcher jailed 20 years in hard labour
An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 25-year-old man to 20 years imprisonment in hard labour for snatching a Hyundai Accent Taxi valued GH¢37,500.
Emmanuel Tetteh has denied conspiring with Peter Mintah, his accomplice, now at large, to rob Prince Kyei, the complainant, of his cab but he was found culpable after trial.
Meanwhile, his accomplice has ran away with the cab with the registration number GW 6088 22.
Police Chief Inspector George Nana Akomeah had earlier told the Court presided over by Mr Kwabena Koduah Obiri-Yeboah that Kyei, the complainant, was a taxi driver residing at Ablekuma whilst Tetteh, unemployed, resided at KI School, Kaneshie.
He said on April 12, 2022, at about 1930 hours, the complainant was driving a Hyundai Accent taxicab with registration number GW 6088-22.
On reaching TV Africa area heading towards Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra, the convict and his accomplice, Mintah, now at large, engaged the services of the complainant to take them to Dansoman, the prosecution said.
It said on reaching the SSNIT Flats, Mintah who was sitting at the front seat, asked the complainant to stop the car and he obliged.
The prosecution said suddenly, the convict seized the ignition key, turned off the engine, and started struggling with Mintah over the ignition key.
It said Tetteh got out of the car to support the convict with the convict stabbing the complainant with a pair of scissors.
The Court heard that the complainant continued to struggle with the convict and shouted for help.
It said those around rushed to the scene and arrested Tetteh, but Mintah managed to run away with the car.
The prosecution said the convict was sent to the Police Station whilst the complainant was rushed to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for treatment.
During investigation, the accused admitted the offences and stated that he and Mintah had been snatching cars for the past two years.
He said that all the cars they had snatched were sold to one “Virus,” who lived in the same house with Mintah at Dansoman, adding that “Virus” had workers who worked on the cars at a workshop.
The Court heard that the convict led the police to the house and the workshop, but they could not find “Virus” and all efforts made by the police to trace him had failed.
Source: GNA