A High Court sitting in the Northern Region has sentenced two men to a collective 80 years in prison for their roles in a violent highway robbery. The court presided over the case following an incident on the Tamale to Buipe highway where a passenger bus was targeted. According to a GhanaWeb report confirmed by local court records, each convict was handed a 40 year jail term after being found guilty of the charges brought against them.
The prosecution detailed how the convicts blocked the highway and used firearms to intimidate passengers. A Ghana Police Service report indicates that the attackers robbed the victims of their personal belongings including mobile phones and unspecified amounts of cash. The authorities stated that the quick intervention of the police led to the apprehension of the suspects shortly after the robbery occurred.
During the trial the court heard testimonies from several victims who identified the men as the primary perpetrators of the assault. A Graphic Online report notes that the judge emphasized the need for a harsh sentence to serve as a deterrent to others intending to engage in similar criminal activities on the country's major transport routes. The defense for the two men had pleaded for leniency but the court maintained that the violent nature of the crime warranted significant prison time.
The Ghana Police Service has issued a statement following the sentencing to reassure the public of their commitment to maintaining safety on the highways. Official police releases state that patrols have been intensified on the Tamale to Buipe stretch to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. The convicts have since been transported to a correctional facility to begin their sentences as ordered by the High Court.