A Circuit Court at the Mpraeso, on Friday sentenced Samuel Owusu, a 40-year-old trader, to 40 years imprisonment in hard labour for robbing a driver of his taxi. Owusu pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to robbing and robbery and his accomplice, Price Boateng, managed to escape. Police Inspector Christian Apronti, told the court presided over by Justice Alex Owusu Ofori, a High Court Judge, sitting as an additional Circuit Court Judge that on October 3 this year, the complainant drove his taxi to Adum in Kumasi. He said at about 0530 hours the following day, Owusu and Boateng hired the vehicle to travel to Juaso in the Asante Akyem South District to conduct a church service. Insp. Apronti said that when they got to Juaso, Boateng told the driver to send them to Nyafoma in the Birim North District but the driver said that he did not know the place. The Prosecution said Owusu told the driver that he would direct him to the place. He said on reaching Amenam near Akoase in the District, Owusu ordered the driver to stop. Insp. Apronti said Owusu held the neck of the driver and with the assistance of Boateng assaulted him and threw him out of the vehicle and drove away in it. He told the court that the complainant raised the alarm, which attracted a crowd and another taxi driver chased Owusu and Boateng leading to the arrest of Owusu while Boateng managed to escape. The Prosecution said when a search was conducted on Owusu, two Bibles, a hand book, a road worthiness certificate bearing the name of Boateng, pliers, screw driver and a vehicle number plate with registration number GS 8799-09 were found. Owusu admitted the offence during interrogation. Source: GNA