A 35-year-old barber was sentenced to ten years in jail with hard labour after pleading guilty to two charges of death threat and robbery.
James Awuni pled guilty to charges under Sections 75 and 149(1) of the Criminal Offences Act of 1960, Act 29.
Kwame Copper, an accomplice, is presently on the run.
On August 6, 2023, Awuni contacted the wife of Obuasi Bitters’ Chief Executive with the Vodafone number 0500637074, stating that he had been hired by someone to murder her husband.
The concerned woman alerted her husband, who dialled the same number for confirmation.
Awuni informed the complaint that he was hesitant to implement the order for reasons unknown to him and requested that the complainant pay him GHS1,200, which Mr. Amoh granted.
After transferring the money, the complainant reported the incident to the Police Intelligence Directorate for further investigation. On September 27, 2023, the directorate detained Awuni in Bebu, near Kumasi, based on information.
On Friday, October 6, 2023, ASP Stephen Ofori, prosecuting, told Her Honour Vida Yeboah in court that Awuni listed Kwame Copper as an accomplice.
When Awuni appeared in court on Monday, October 2nd, 2023, he pled guilty to threats of death and robbery and agreed to reimburse the money the complainant had given him.
On Friday, he returned GH1,200 before receiving the 10-year prison sentence. He was sentenced to two months in prison for threatening murder and ten years in prison for robbery, although the sentences will run concurrently.
Her Honour Vida Yeboah, the presiding judge, stated that the court weighed the fact that the accused repaid the money involved before giving him the lowest jail term for robbery.
