2006年VOA标准英语-Ghana Court Cracks Down on Armed Robberies

By Efam Dovi Accra 23 August 2006 In Ghana, a high court in the capital Accra Tuesday sentenced five robbers to more than 300 years in prison in what the police say is a clear sign the country is taking violent crime seriously.  The spate1 of armed robberies in Ghana has left many worrying about their safety and the ability of the police to fight crime. ------- Just a week ago, a highway robbery left three people dead in the Upper West region of the country. In Kumasi, Ghana's second largest city, three ministers of state were attacked. And on Monday, a bank in the center of Accra was held up in broad daylight. The rise in Ghana's crime rate has made the population increasingly vocal2 in criticizing the government for its poor delivery of criminal justice. The high court's lengthy3 court sentence of five men convicted of armed robbery, police say, is a clear sign the courts are cracking down on violent crime. Four of the five were convicted of robbery and a conspiracy4 to commit robbery, and each were sentenced to 65 years in jail. The fifth was sentenced to 60 years in prison.  This was the heaviest sentenced handed down by a Ghanaian court this year.  Earlier this year, an armed robber was sent to prison for 90 years. Before passing the sentence in this case, the presiding justice, P. Baffoe-Bonnie, described armed robbery as a menace to society, and said those involved should be separated from the rest of the society. Police spokesman David Eklu told VOA that the police are satisfied with the outcome.      David Eklu       "We are actually making a lot of arrests and now that the courts are concerned about the robbery, because that is one of the problems we have in this country," he said.  "I think that it is a great morale5 booster for our personnel, it is a great vindication6 for the police service, it is a plus for the judiciary that they are taking the issue of robbery very seriously." Eklu also said the police are working to regulate the use of small arms. The production of small arms has been banned as part of the government's campaign to cut down on armed robberies. "Basically most of the arms they use are locally manufactured, so discussions are going on, we have the National Commission on Small Arms, we have had a lot seminars to see how these things can be regulated and controlled," he said. He said the government has also banned the sale of axes, which are increasingly used in armed robberies, and is consulting with manufacturers and importers of axes to control their distribution. Robbery is a serious crime in Ghana, punishable by a minimum 10-year prison term.

1 spate   

n.泛滥，洪水，突然的一阵

参考例句：

• Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area.警察正在调查这一地区发生的大量盗窃案。
• Refugees crossed the border in full spate.难民大量地越过了边境。

2 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

3 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

4 conspiracy   

n.阴谋，密谋，共谋

参考例句：

• The men were found guilty of conspiracy to murder.这些人被裁决犯有阴谋杀人罪。
• He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him.他声称这一切都是一场针对他的阴谋。

5 morale   

n.道德准则，士气，斗志

参考例句：

• The morale of the enemy troops is sinking lower every day.敌军的士气日益低落。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

6 vindication   

n.洗冤，证实

参考例句：

• There is much to be said in vindication of his claim.有很多理由可以提出来为他的要求作辩护。
• The result was a vindication of all our efforts.这一结果表明我们的一切努力是必要的。