Techiman Circuit court presided over by Justice Alexander Graham has sentenced a 19-year-old rider to 30 years imprisonment for robbery.

The convict, Bawa Ebenezer, a resident of Nsuta in the Bono East Region, was arrested on Saturday after breaking into the room of two students of the Yeboah Asuamah SHS at 3:35 am.

Prosecuting Officer Inspector Emmanuel Kudalor told JoyNews that “this is a case of armed robbery which occurred on Saturday August 21.”

“The accused person attacked them whilst they were sleeping in their room and forcefully asked them to hand over their personal belongings to him”.

Inspector Kudalor further noted, “because of the spate and the increase in robbery activities in this area, the court deemed it fit to give him a sentence that would deter others from committing the same crime”.

The accused pleaded guilty on three out of the five before he was handed over a 30-year sentence.

The counts includes unlawful entry contrary to section 152 of the criminal offenses act 1960 (Act 29), and robbery contrary to 149 of the criminal offenses act 1960 (Act 29).

“In this circumstance, the court in its wisdom gave him three years on count one, 30 years on count two and 30 years on count four. The sentences are to run concurrently,” Inspector Kudalor added.

One of the victims, a final year student, told JoyNews that “the convict broke into our room at about 3 am and threatened to kill my roommate and me if we fail to give him our phones.

“Out of fear, we gave him the phones, and he attempted to do something nasty, that was when I struggled with him and he used the scissors to cut my hand before bolting away.”

In his ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Alexander Graham, stated that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to others and help reduce armed robbery attacks in the area.