Johnson Kombian, the man who was alleged to have murdered two policemen at Nakpanduri in the Northern Region has been sentenced to death by hanging, by the Accra Fast Track High Court.

This was after the seven-member jury unanimously found Kombian, a convicted jail-breaker and notorious armed robber, guilty of conspiracy to commit crime and murder of the two police officers – Constables Prince Agyare and Owusu Frimpong.

He was also sentenced to 30 years for conspiracy to commit murder and to death by hanging for murder.

The trial judge, Justice Habib Logoh after reading the verdict told a sombre-looking Kombian "I know it may not happen but if it does, may God have mercy on your soul."

Counsel for the accused George Assamaney said he was disappointed in the ruling because he thought they had put out their case the best way they could and added that "we are disappointed".

"The door of justice is as wide as the ocean so we will advise ourselves," he added.

Kombian was immediately escorted from the court room amidst heavy security through the mini prison and quickly hauled into the prisons vehicle to avoid the lenses of journalists and curious onlookers who rushed to catch a glimpse of him.

The prosecuting attorney Marina Appiah, in her address to the jury at the last hearing, stated that the prosecution had led direct evidence to show the person responsible for the act.

Mrs Appiah had told the jury that contrary to the submission of George Assamaney that the evidence led by the prosecution was circumstantial and did not point to who exactly might have committed the offence, the surviving police officer, Cpl Prince Osei Bonsu, had testified that he saw Kombian shoot his col­league, Prince Agyare, who fell and died instantly.

According to her, the assertion of the defence counsel that the evidence of the surviving police officer needed to be corroborated was not necessary, adding that the witness gave an eyewitness account of what happened.

In addition, she said the police officers, including one ASP Mumuni, who were stationed at Bunkprugu on the day they received a distress call from Constable Prince Agyare before his death from gunshot wounds, all testified in court.

The police officers, according to the state attorney, had given evidence to the effect that their col­leagues were on duty at the scarp which was known for robbery activities, adding that they (witnesses) received a distress call from Constable Agyare about his col­leagues being shot at, so they went there and saw them lying wounded under the scarp.

Mrs Appiah said the officers had told the court that when Constable Owusu Frimpong saw them he said, "see what Kombian has done to us," and asked them whether he was going to die, and they encouraged him that he would not die.

She had noted that Cpl Osei Bonsu had testified that while he was waiting for help from the office, he saw Kombian and another accomplice shoot Constable Agyare, who had then returned from making the distress call.

Touching on the evidence of Kombian, she urged the jury not to believe it (evidence) and noted that was in three different places during that period.

According to Mrs Appiah, Kombian had said he was in Togo on October 17, 2010 after shortly returning from Bunpkrugu earlier, and said when asked where he was in Togo on October 17 when the incident occurred, he (Kombian) said he was in Sokodey in Togo where he slept and later claimed he was in Mangow in Togo - which is not too far from Damongo

She noted that the accused, when asked if he had any alibi in Togo to prove he was really there on the said date, replied that nobody could recognise him in Togo.