Three jailed 19 years for robbery near Ho market

The Ho Circuit Court has sentenced three individuals to a total of 19 years in prison for their roles in a violent robbery incident that occurred near the Ho Central Market.

The convicts—22-year-old Mercy Sokpe, 25-year-old Atsu Kamasa, and 19-year-old Godfred Dzidonu—were handed their sentences on Friday, May 9, 2025, by His Honour Osman Abdul-Hakeem after pleading guilty to conspiracy and robbery charges.

According to a statement by DSP Felix Danku, Public Affairs Officer for the Ghana Police Service in the Volta Region, the robbery took place on May 4, 2025, at around 4:30 p.m. The victim, 21-year-old Elijah Torgbedzi, was targeted by the trio in a coordinated plan.

Sokpe reportedly approached Torgbedzi under the guise of requesting a selfie with his iPhone 6s, which is valued at GH¢700. Once in possession of the phone, she signaled her accomplices, who then attacked the victim with a pair of scissors and fled the scene.

However, the victim’s immediate cries for help led to the capture of Dzidonu, who was found with the stolen device. Police investigations subsequently led to the arrests of Kamasa and Sokpe at separate locations in Ho.

In court, all three admitted to the charges. Each received a three-year sentence for conspiracy to commit robbery. Kamasa and Dzidonu were given an additional five years each for the robbery itself.