The Ho Circuit Court has sentenced three individuals to a combined total of 19 years in prison after they were found guilty of conspiring to commit robbery and executing a violent mobile phone theft.
The Court presided over by His Honour Osman Abdul-Hakeem handed down sentences to 22-year-old Mercy Sokpe, 25-year-old Atsu Kamasa, and 19-year-old Godfred Dzidonu for their involvement in a coordinated robbery attack on Elijah Torgbedzi, 21, near the Ho Central Market.
According to police accounts, the incident occurred on May 4, 2025, around 4:30 p.m. Mercy Sokpe reportedly approached the unsuspecting victim and requested to use his iPhone 6s valued at 700 Ghana Cedis to take a selfie. As the complainant complied, Sokpe discreetly signalled her accomplices, Kamasa and Dzidonu, who then attacked Torgbedzi with a pair of scissors and fled the scene with the phone.
The alarm raised by the victim led to the immediate arrest of Godfred Dzidonu, who was caught with the stolen phone and handed over to the police. Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of Mercy Sokpe and Atsu Kamasa from their respective hideouts in Ho.
During their appearance in court, all three pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery. Each of the convicts received a three-year sentence for conspiracy. Additionally, Kamasa and Dzidonu were handed five-year sentences each for the robbery charge, bringing their total individual sentences to eight years. Sokpe received a total of three years.
The Ghana Police Service, through DSP Felix Danku of the Volta Regional Public Affairs Unit, has urged the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution, particularly when approached by strangers requesting assistance.
“Let this serve as a reminder to always be alert. Criminals often disguise their intentions with seemingly harmless requests,” DSP Danku advised.
The swift arrests and sentencing reflect the police’s continued commitment to curbing violent crimes in the region.
By: Daniel Orlando/newsalertgh.com
