An active thief could secretly steal from others. Convicted in the recent past for theft, Herréra Ratanga Rodiani alias ‘Mohamed’ returned for the umpteenth time to the Port-Gentil remand center because he was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. He stole three phones, a perfume and an amount of 150,000 FCFA from the victim’s first bag, then a Bluetooth speaker, three silver jewelry, a pair of optical glasses and a sum of 50,000 FCFA from the sister’s bag. of the victim.
It was on November 17 and 18, 2018 around 2 a.m., near the Banco intersection in 3e district of Port-Gentil. Getting impatient with taxis which were becoming increasingly rare, Dame Auriane Irène Orimba Igondjo and her three sisters decided to walk to the spring roundabout. On their way they are attacked by men armed with machetes, who take two of their handbags. The loot was so important that they left with three phones, a perfume and an amount of 150,000 FCFA in one of the victim’s bags, and a Bluetooth speaker, three silver jewelry, a pair of optical glasses and a sum of 50,000 in the second bag. Before this judgment, the suspects’ modus operandi was implicated in around ten thefts. He was well practiced: waiting in a dark corridor for their prey and then taking out their bladed weapons to target them.
Supported by a witness from the scene of the tragedy which followed the scene and knowing the perpetrators, a complaint was then filed with the Judicial Police by the victim, resulting in the arrest of the accused. The case could end there but that is not the case. Because in addition to identifying the author, the police did everything possible to find the accused. Faced with investigators, he denied the charges against him, specifying that he did not participate but rather witnessed the hold-up.
At the investigating magistrate he confesses to having carried out a “pam-pam” (robbery) in street jargon, with a friend of his from the last detention called Chatman. According to him, walking near him, he saw his accomplice’s friends robbed of the ladies. Seeing the latter called: ‘help’, they all run away to find themselves in a dark corridor far from the victims. He then receives 2,000 FCFA as “transport”.
Prosecuted by the public prosecutor for armed robbery, the defendant during his trial at the Criminal Court reiterated his remarks stating that he had been misled by his friend Chatman.
“I was surprised to see people shouting ‘oh thief’ and running after Chatman and the others. That’s how I also ran and Chatman gave me 2,000 FCFA for the taxi”the accused said on the stand.
In view of the facts, according to the public prosecutor, Herréra Ratanga Rodiani alias “Mohamed” consciously participated in the hold-up. He was found guilty by the Criminal Court and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Jean Jacques Rovaria Djodji
2024-03-23 13:34:28
#years #prison #repeat #bandit #PortGentil