24-year-old Kwame Adjei has been sentenced to a term of twenty-five years in imprisonment in hard labour on his own plea.

The convict was a welder at Jasikan in the Oti region. The complainant, age 28 years, is a farmer and a part-time Okada rider resident at Dai-Konda in the republic of Togo.

On the 22nd of June 2024 at about 3pm, the rider’s service was required by the accused to transport him to Kadjebi. Along the journey, it begun to rain but the accused insisted they continued in the rain.

Upon reaching a bushy area at Bogos junction between Kadjebi and Menuso on the Kadjebi-Nkwanta Highway, the accused poured powdered pepper into the face of the complainant.

According to the complainant, the powdered pepper blinded him causing him to stop abruptly.

Kofi Azorlenyo, the complainant said he quickly used his remote controller to the bike to lock it and run to safety.

The accused however succeeded in moving the motorbike away from the scene of incident.

The complainant later went to Menuso town where he raised alarm about the theft incident. A search party was dispatched to look for the motorbike.

The bike was found on a cocoa farm at Bogos Kope between Kadjebi and Menuso. The accused was also traced to Kadjebi and arrested at the Kadjebi main lorry station.

A search on him revealed the key to the stolen motorbike. He was handed over to the Kadjebi police.

 The police later organised an identification parade and the accused was identified as the perpetrator of the pepper spraying and theft incident.

The accused during investigations admitted to the crime and was charged and put before the Jasikan Circuit Court.

He was charged for robbery contrary to section 149 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29). His Honour Michael Jackson Abbey, the presiding judge at the court sentenced him on his own guilty plea to a prison term of twenty-five years in hard labour.

The case was prosecuted by ASP Seth Vincent Kpodo, Crime Officer for Jasikan Divisional Command.