A refuse collector, Joshua Aminu, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by an Accra Circuit Court for attempting to rob a United States diplomat with a toy gun at Cantonments in Accra.
Aminu was charged with two counts of attempted robbery and pleaded guilty to both offences. The court, presided over by Mr. Jojo Hagan, handed him 10 years on each count, to run concurrently. Aminu has 30 days to appeal the sentence.
According to the prosecution, the complainant, Mr. John Kiona, a scientist and diplomat with the United States Embassy, was taking a walk around the American Embassy enclave at Cantonments between 5:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on September 26, when Aminu confronted him and demanded his valuables.
The items included an iPhone 16 Pro Max valued at GH¢18,500 and an iPhone 8 valued at GH¢16,500. During the confrontation, the diplomat grabbed Aminu’s hand and struggled with him until the gun broke, revealing it was a toy.
Aminu fled the scene but was later arrested after the complainant alerted security officers. A search of his brown backpack uncovered two kitchen knives, which were seized along with the broken toy gun.
Aminu, who lived near the Konkomba Market, reportedly pleaded for leniency, but the court maintained that the punishment was appropriate to serve as a deterrent to others.