THE REPUBLIC v. ABDELLA MUSAH @ JAMAL MUSAH

JUDGMENT

The Accused is charged with one count of Robbery 149 of the Criminal

Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

The facts as presented by prosecution are that on 22nd February, 2023 at about

05:40am, the complainant who is a trader was on her way from Anyaa NIC

down to the NIC footbridge to board a vehicle to Accra. According to

Prosecution, when complainant reached Ga Central Agenda 111 hospital site,

she met Accused who demanded that she should hand over her bag to him.

When complainant resisted, the Accused pulled out a piece of tile shaped like

a knife and attempted to use it to slash complainant in the chest however she

blocked the attempt and sustained a deep cut on her arm and bruises on her

rib. Prosecution says that complainant then handed over the handbag

containing an amount of GHC1,400.00 to the Accused. The Accused then

pushed the complainant unto the ground and started to run. Prosecution says

that complainant raised an alarm and people pursued the Accused and

recovered the bag from him. The complainant was rushed to Anyaa Poly

Clinic and transferred to Weija Gbawe Municipal Hospital due to the severity

of the injury she sustained. Prosecution says that Accused also sustained

injuries as a result of mob attack and was sent to Anyaa Polyclinic after which

he was charged and arraigned before this court.

Prosecution called two witnesses in support of its case. PW1 was Rose Owusu

the complainant and PW2 was the investigator D/Inspr. Isaac Ogbey. She

testified that she is a trader and on 22nd February, 2023 she was going to Accra and on her way to board a vehicle, the Accused demanded for her bag but she

pretended as if she had not heard what the he so she asked him to repeat

what he said but the Accused pulled a knife and raised it to harm her on her

chest but she blocked it and was harmed on her arm instead. She testified that

she handed over the bag to him. She stated that Accused wanted to harm her

on her hips but because she was wearing jeans the knife could not penetrate

and rather hurt her ribs. She testified that the Accused bolted with her bag

containing GHc1400.00 so she raised an alarm and onlookers pursued the

accused. She stated that she was rushed to the Anyaa Polyclinic and then

transferred to Weija Gbawe Municipal Hospital for treatment. According to

her, her bag was later recovered however the amount contained in the bag

had reduced to GHȼ600.

PW2 testified that the Accused was pursued after PW1 was ro