American woman jailed 10 years for car snatching

An American woman, Skylah Leeann Marine Travis, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison with hard labour by an Accra Circuit Court for car snatching.

In tears, Travis, who was jailed alongside her Liberian fiancé Daniel Ireland, expressed regret and apologized to the victim, saying, “I did not mean to do that, I want to ask for forgiveness.”

The couple, both unemployed, had traveled to Ghana for rehabilitation while struggling with drug addiction.

Travis admitted to conspiring with Ireland to steal a Bolt driver’s vehicle but denied stabbing him.

The Court deferred the start of her sentence to January 10, 2025, awaiting the results of a pregnancy test, which later came back negative.

Both Travis and Ireland were ordered to pay GHC 6,000 compensation each to the victim by January 31, 2025.

Ireland, who admitted to the charges, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment after pleading guilty to robbery and causing harm.

The Bolt driver, the victim, sustained severe injuries during the incident and was hospitalized.