22-Year-Old Security Guard Jailed 15 Years for Attempted iPhone Robbery at Nmai Dzorn

A 22-year-old security guard, Richmond Botwe, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Adenta Circuit Court for attempting to rob a hairstylist of her iPhone 14 valued at GHS15,000.

Botwe pleaded guilty to the charge of attempted robbery and was convicted on his own plea. The incident occurred in the early hours of April 5, 2025, at Nmai Dzorn in the Greater Accra Region.

In delivering judgement, the trial judge acknowledged Botwe’s youth and the fact that he did not waste the court’s time but emphasised the seriousness of the offence and its impact on public safety.

According to Chief Inspector Eric Abban, who led the prosecution, the complainant, Ms. Tosin Adesokan, a Nigerian hairstylist residing at Ashalley Botwe School Junction, was returning home when the attack occurred.

Botwe, who was working with a security firm stationed at Adjiriganor, allegedly abandoned his post at Caterpillar Junction around 4:00 a.m., armed with a kitchen knife hidden in his trousers. He then targeted Ms. Adesokan in an attempt to steal her phone.

His robbery attempt was thwarted, leading to his arrest and subsequent prosecution.

The court’s decision underscores a zero-tolerance stance on violent crimes, particularly those involving weapons and threats to personal safety.