5 Jailed 150 years in Koala robbery case

• Posted on August 9, 2016
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Tears flowed at an Accra Circuit Court on Monday when it handed down various sentences to five persons involved in the famous Koala robbery incident which occurred in January this year.

Sentencing them, the court, presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh, said the conviction was based on the roles each played in the robbery incident and that the court also took into consideration the fact that the accused persons were first-time offenders as well as “the planning and organisation of the act.”

Based on that, Stanley Obaliko, an unemployed Nigerian who shot the sales administrator, Ms Lydia Horsu, in the thigh and leg during the robbery, was sentenced to 39 years imprisonment on the charge of robbery.

Obaliko, an ex-convict, is to serve an additional one-year jail term each on the charges of causing harm and possession of firearms without authority.

Frederick Okoe Quarcoe, a motor rider, who used his motorbike in the robbery, was sentenced to 35 years’ imprisonment.

Osabutey Gilbert, whom the court noted played a minor role in the act, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment on the charge of conspiracy.

However, the rest of the accused persons were handed down 28 years’ imprisonment each on the charges of conspiracy.

Sentences are to run concurrently. It further ordered the destruction of all exhibits in three months’ time in the presence of the court registry.

The court noted that the prosecution, after calling four witnesses in the case, had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt.

It also commended the sterling courage displayed by the taxi driver known as Nana Yaw.

“As much as I admire his courage, I will advise any person or taxi driver who finds himself under similar situation to examine his measure of faith and the God he or she believed in before embarking on this venture. According to the court, Obaliko fired twice at the taxi driver but he missed his shots.

“It is important to factor trustworthy taxi drivers to factor them in the gathering of intelligence to foil robberies,” the court advised.

The court condemned the pattern of robbery taking place in the country.

It noted that Michael Edor Ahiataku, Frederick Sedro Kwame and Osabutey hatched the plan of robbery and contracted Obaliko, who recruited Quarcoe, one Akpanyi and one Rashid, who are at large, to carry out the act.

Their counsels – Mr George Assamaney and Mr Joseph Turkson – had pleaded with the court to deal leniently with the accused person because they were the bread winners of their families.

According to defence counsels, the accused persons had shown remorse and were also first offenders.

The accused persons – Gilbert Osabutey; Michael Edor Ahiataku, a.k.a. Old Soldier, a private security man; and Frederick Sedro Kwame, who has been charged with conspiracy to rob – have pleaded not guilty.

Stanley Obaliko and Okoe Quarcoe sustained injuries during the robbery incident and were hospitalised. They pleaded guilty to the charges of robbery.

However, the court, after listening to their explanation, entered a plea of not guilty on their behalf.

Chief Supt. Mr Duuti Tuaruka said the complainant in the case was Lydia Horsu, a Marketing Administrator with the Koala Shopping Centre, who went round daily to collect the previous day’s sales to the head office.

On January 6, this year, Osabutey, Ahiataku and Kwame hatched a plan to rob the shopping centre and sought the assistance of the two others, now at large, who also recruited Obaliko and Quarcoe to carry out the act.

On January 9, at about 0800hrs, the complainant went to the Koala Shopping branch at Cantonments, but she decided to pick the company’s invoice and voucher to audit them and left for the head office at Airport.

On seeing the complainant leave the office, Osabutey alerted the accused persons through a phone call and Obaliko and Quarcoe boarded a BMW motorbike and trailed the complainant to the American Embassy area at Cantonments.

The prosecution said Obaliko, who was then the pillion rider, alighted, drew out a pistol and pointed it at the complainant and ordered her to surrender her handbag.

Chief Supt. Tuaruka said Ms Horsu refused to comply and raised an alarm.

He said this infuriated Obaliko, who pushed the complainant down and shot her twice in her thigh and calf, after which he (Obaliko) and Quarcoe sped off.

A taxi driver, who witnessed the incident, chased them with his vehicle and hit their motorbike.

Police investigations, however, led to the arrest of the rest of the accused persons.

-The Finder