A 26-year-old barber named Richard Amoako has been sentenced to 20 years in prison with hard labor by the Tarkwa Circuit Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy and robbery.
Amoako, also known as Jordan, conspired with a now-deceased mason, Paa Kwasi, to rob a gold-buying office located at Wassa Nkonya in the Wassa Amenfi East municipality.
During the proceedings, presiding judge Hathia Ama Manu sentenced Amoako to 20 years of hard labor for each count, with the sentences to run concurrently.
Police Chief Superintendent Alex Odonkor, who served as the prosecutor, detailed the events leading to the crime. He explained that Richard Quansah, the owner of the “Same God” gold-buying office in Wassa Nkonya, resides in Wassa Adiembra. The victim, Osman Adams, a 22-year-old employee of Quansah, lived in Wassa Nkonya, while Amoako and Paa Kwasi hailed from Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
On October 14, 2024, Amoako and Paa Kwasi traveled to Wassa Mampong and its surroundings as part of their robbery plan. On October 16, around 12:30 PM, the duo arrived at Wassa Nkonya on a motorbike, where they purchased a cutlass, which they concealed under their clothing.
They approached the complainant’s gold-buying office and laid in ambush, waiting for a moment when Adams was alone. Under the pretense of selling gold wrapped in a black polythene bag, Amoako engaged Adams in weighing the gold while Paa Kwasi attacked him with the cutlass, inflicting a severe cut to his neck.
As Adams screamed for help, the two fled the scene. Local residents rushed Adams to the Wassa Akropong Government Hospital for treatment.
The prosecutor reported that townsfolk managed to apprehend Amoako, who received a beating before the Wassa Nkonya police intervened and transported him for medical care. Paa Kwasi was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital, while Amoako was treated and later taken into police custody for questioning.
During investigations, Amoako admitted to conspiring with the deceased to commit the robbery. The cutlass used in the attack was recovered and kept as evidence at the police station.
In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Amoako’s family to pay GH¢10,000 to Richard Quansah, the victim’s employer.
