The Tamale Circuit Court has sentenced five armed robbers to 15 years imprisonment each for their involvement in a recent car snatching incident at Jongsheigu in Tamale.

They snatched a Toyota Camry salon car from its owner. The five are; Yussif Mustapha, 23, Ibrahim Issah, 27, Seyram Addo, 34, Adjei Benjamin, 23 and Vikpo Christopher 27.

They pleaded guilty to the charges of robbery and possession of firearms when they appeared in court on January 25.

The ruling was read by His Honour Alexander Owarie, who presided over the case.

The sentencing takes immediate effect and will run concurrently with the offence of possession of Police and Military accoutrements.

The five were arrested on January 23, at Buipe in the Savannah Region after fleeing the robbery scene. During a search, the Service retrieved a G3 Riffle and a pistol from the convicts.

Addressing the media in Tamale, the Northern Regional Police Commander, COP Timothy Yoosa Bonga said one of the suspects, Yussif Mustapha, at the time of arrest, was fully dressed in a Military uniform with the rank of Lance Corporal, adorned with an army headquarters lanyard and armed with a Military falcon pistol loaded with 9 rounds of 9MM ammunition.

In response, the Ghana Armed Forces said Yussif Mustapha is not an army officer.

“The attention of the Ghana Armed Forces has been drawn to several videos and pictures on various social media platforms of the arrest of a car snatching syndicate at Buipe who are alleged to have attacked and snatched a car from a victim at Tamale.

“In the said videos and pictures, one of the suspects is seen wearing Military camouflage uniform and has been described variously as a soldier of the Ghana Armed Forces. We wish to state categorically that the suspect is not a soldier of the Ghana Armed Forces,” GAF stated in a press release dated January 24.