The Bekwai Circuit Court has sentenced two men to 15 and 25 years in prison for their roles in a violent 2023 robbery that targeted a small-scale miner near Obuasi.
Following a full trial, Francis Oppong (alias Kwame Abuu) was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment with hard labour, while Francis Nyamekye (alias Amearo) received a 25-year sentence with hard labour.
Both were convicted on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, aiding and abetting robbery, and robbery under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
According to the Ashanti South Regional Police Command, the pair, along with accomplices still at large, conspired to rob the victim at Kyekyewere on December 16, 2023.
Investigations revealed that Oppong, a local resident, had monitored the victim’s activities and provided key intelligence to the gang.
The subsequent attack on the victim’s residence and mining site resulted in physical injuries and the theft of valuable items, including 18 pounds of gold (valued at approximately GH¢100,000), a pump-action gun, a mobile phone, and GH¢2,000 in cash.
Police investigations led to Nyamekye’s arrest after he was discovered seeking treatment for gunshot wounds sustained during a separate, failed robbery attempt, a detail that helped link him to the Kyekyewere crime.
The two accused were arraigned on January 30, 2024, and convicted on January 5, 2026. They are to serve their sentences at the Kumasi Central Prison.
The Police Command has reiterated that operations are ongoing to apprehend the remaining suspects and has urged the public to report any information that could aid in their arrest.
