The Accra Fast Track High Court Monday sentenced four Nigerians to a total of 360 years for robbery. They are to serve 80 years each with hard labour after they were each found guilty and convicted on two counts of conspiracy and robbery. Heavily armed Emmanuel Emeka, 38; Samuel Tanko, 28; Promise Emeka, 27; and Efanye Osuchukwu, 33, around 1 a.m. on February 25, 2006 forcibly entered the residence of an Accra-based legal practitioner, inflicted deep machete wounds on her and her brother and robbed them of valuable items. The items included a Konica camera, two mobile phones, jewellery, a handbag containing valuable documents, including a drivers’ licence and cash of GH¢150. Not satisfied with their booty, the convicts, who were armed with a pump action gun with several pouches of ammunition, two locally manufactured pistols, a dagger, machetes and a metal cutter, subjected their victims to severe brutality. The convicts, who had terrorized more than 50 households at West Legon, Haatso, Kwabenya and Agbogba; all suburbs of Accra, were picked up by the police from their hideout on April 28, 2006. Citing authorities to buttress the courts’ decision, the trial judge, Mr Justice Charles Quist, held that the prosecution had proved the guilt of the four convicts beyond reasonable doubt. He said robbery was a menace to society and for that reason the court would impose harsh sentences on the convicts to serve as a deterrent. The court held that the three prosecution witnesses had been consistent in their evidence and there had been abundant proof that the four committed the offence at the residence of the complainant on February 25, 2006. It said the convicts woefully failed in their bid to defend themselves and rather ended up admit-ting the offence during cross-examination from the prosecution. The four had, during cross-examination from a State Attorney, Mr Paul Assibi Abariga, stated that they usually buried the weapons they used for their robberies on a farm at Kwabenya and later picked them up anytime they had an operation to embark upon. After considering the totality of the evidence adduced, the court, however, acquitted and discharged Chiyioka Joseph, 30, a fifth accused person. It held that the prosecution failed to prove a case beyond reasonable doubt against Joseph and, according1y, granted Joseph his freedom after four years in custody. Source: Daily Graphic/Ghana