Man jailed 6 years for GH¢350 Itel phone robbery at ‘machete point’

Thomas Kwabena Vordzorgbe, a 38-year-old unemployed man, has been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment by a Circuit Court in Accra for robbing a resident of Nungua.

The stolen item was an Itel mobile phone valued at GH¢350, which Vordzorgbe took after slashing the victim’s left hand with a machete.

Vordzorgbe pleaded not guilty to one count of robbery, but was found guilty by the court, presided over by Basilia Adjei-Tawiah, after a full trial.

Facts

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector John Gohoho, revealed that the complainant, a Nigerian national from Delta State, resides at Nungua Cocoa Beach, while Vordzorgbe resides at Nungua Kingsway.

On November 11, 2022, at approximately 10:00 p.m., the complainant visited a popular establishment at Spintex to socialize with friends, departing the venue around 3:00 a.m. the following day.

The convict, having observed the complainant from a distance, followed him to the station and demanded that he surrender his belongings.

When the complainant resisted, “the convict produced a machete and slashed him on the left hand, thereby causing harm to him,” Chief Inspector Gohoho stated.

“The complainant became despondent and surrendered his Itel mobile phone to the convict,” he added.

The complainant later submitted a report at the Nungua Police Station and received a medical form for treatment.

On the same day, around 7:00 p.m., the complainant received intel that the convict was offering the stolen phone for sale at the Nungua Lorry Station. With the assistance of others, the complainant apprehended Vordzorgbe, identified him as his assailant, and had him arrested.

Upon searching the convict, the complainant’s Itel mobile phone was recovered.

As stated by the prosecution, Vordzorgbe acknowledged the offence in his cautioned statement.