Three persons were on Monday sentenced to 20 years imprisonment each by an Accra Circuit Court for invading and robbing the office of Sidalco Company Limited at the Spintex Road and a Minister of God. The three: Salifu Masawudu 21, an architect, Kwaku Ahaihonu, 24, a mason and Agbogah Althanazius Bismark Kwame, 23, a computer analyst, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and robbery. The court presided over by Mr Justice C.A. Wilson, a High Court judge, however, found them guilty and convicted accordingly. Masawudu, however, broke down in tears and blamed the other accused persons for his fate as soon as sentences were handed down. The trial judge noted that the action of the convicts were violent and callous. He said the crime was carried out in a premeditated manner and all the accused persons participated in the act. "There is high rate of robbery in the country and in my view there is justifiable reason to impose a severe sentence, which would serve as a deterrent," the trial judge said. Awere Opayin Inyena, Assistant State Attorney, said the first complainant, Mr David Lamptey is the Managing Director of Sidalco Company Limited, situated at Spintex Road and the second complainant, Mr Godwin Aheto is the Head Pastor of Christian Action Faith Ministry at Ashaiman, and both of them were friends. He said on December 18, 2008, Mr Aheto visited Mr Lamptey at his office in the evening at about 1830 hours and while the workers were in the office, five armed men with guns attacked them. The armed men fired two warning shots into the air to scare everyone in the premises and ordered them to lie on the floor. Some of the armed robbers marched a witness in the case to show them Mr Lamptey's office where they ransacked a bag and took away an amount of GH¢50,000 and 20,000 dollars. In addition, the prosecutor said, the armed robbers took away two laptop computers valued at GH¢3,000, 32 mobile phones estimated at GH¢3,200 and a gold ring valued at 50,000 dollars. The prosecutor said the armed robbers also took away cash of GH¢4,700 and three mobile phones from Mr Aheto and bolted. He said the complainants reported the case to the East Legon Police and Police investigations led to the arrest of the accused persons. Source: GNA