An Accra Circuit court has sentenced a 19-year-old driver’s mate to 10 yens in prison for robbery.

Nathaniel Adjei robbed a businesswoman of her three phones valued at GH₵2000.00 and cash of GH₵7000.00.

He also damaged the businesswoman's door, which was worth GH₵800.00.

Adjei, charged with robbery, causing unlawful damage and unlawful entry, admitted committing the crime but pleaded not guilty.

When the case was called on November 16, 2023, to commence trials, Adjei changed his plea from not guilty to guilty.

The Court presided over by Mr Kwabena Kodua Obiri-Yeboah convicted him on his plea, but sentencing was deferred.

On November 23, 2023, Adjei was sentenced to one year imprisonment with hard labour for causing unlawful damage, one-year imprisonment for unlawful entry and 10 years imprisonment for robbery.

“Sentencing to run concurrently,” the Court added.

The prosecutor, Police Chief Inspector Mensah Soadzedey told the Court that the complainant, Madam Ruth Martey, was a businesswoman.

He said both the complainant and Adjei resided at Teshie.

According to the prosecution, on August 4, 2023, at about 0100 hours, the complainant got home from work and went to bed, and at around 0200 hours that day, Adjei broke into her room and robbed her of her Infinix Hot 10 mobile phone, itel tablet, and itel mobile phone, totalling GH₵2000.00.

The prosecution said the complainant was awakened by the unusual noise in her room and decided to investigate it.

“The complainant got out from her bed to find out what was happening and met the convict in her room with her bag containing cash the sum of GH₵7000, 00, one Infinix hot 10 phone, one itel tablet and one itel mobile phone,” it added.

It said the complainant tried to recover her belongings from Adjei, but he pulled a knife on her.

The prosecution said Adjei threatened to stab the complainant if she attempted to stop him from robbing her.

It said the complainant became afraid upon seeing the knife and Adjei ran away with her belongings.

The prosecution said Adjei went into hiding after the robbery.

It said the complainant reported the matter to police for investigation.

The prosecution said on August 22, 2023, Adjei went to the complainant’s shop to buy kenkey but was identified by her.

She raised and alarm and Adjei was arrested and handed over to police.

Adjei admitted robbing the complainant of her phones in his caution statement but denied that the cash amount was GH₵7000 but GH₵1000. 00.

The prosecution said Adjei further stated that he sold the phones to one Gonja but failed to lead the Police to the said person.

It said efforts were underway to identify the said Gonja for his arrest.