Justice Served: 3 Franklin Teens Sentenced in Taxi Driver Robbery-Murder!
Three teenagers – two aged 13 and one aged 14 – have received sentences for their involvement in the tragic murder and robbery of a taxi driver in Franklin Township, New Jersey, in May 2023.
The oldest of the teens, a 14-year-old from Franklin, was sentenced to 11 years for murder, robbery, and two additional charges related to illegal weapon possession.
One 13-year-old from New Brunswick received an eight-year sentence for felony murder and robbery, while the other 13-year-old, also from Franklin, was sentenced to four years solely for robbery.
Due to their ages, all being under 15, these teenagers could not be tried as adults, which influenced their sentencing options.
In New Jersey, juveniles under 15 years old are generally not subjected to mandatory minimum sentences, even in serious cases. Superior Court Judge Christopher Edwards presided over the sentencing for these juveniles.
The charges stem from the death of Kofi Addo, a 57-year-old taxi driver who was tragically killed during what police say was an attempted robbery.
Addo, originally from Ghana, had moved to the United States in 2006 with his two young sons, working hard to provide for his family. During the day, he worked as a bus driver, while at night, he drove a taxi to make ends meet.
On the evening of May 11, 2023, Franklin police were dispatched to the intersection of Rose Street and Sydney Place in response to a reported shooting.
They discovered Addo inside his cab, which had crashed into a parked vehicle after the shooting. Authorities reported that Addo had been shot inside his taxi before losing control and colliding with the other vehicle. Despite being rushed to a nearby trauma center, Addo was later pronounced dead.
According to the Somerset County Prosecutor, John McDonald, the investigation showed that Addo was responding to a call to pick up a fare in the Rose Street area when the three teens approached him.
While inside the taxi, one of the teenagers fired a shot, fatally wounding Addo. The teens then fled the scene on foot, leaving Addo fatally injured in his cab.
This tragic case brought together multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, the Franklin Township Police Department, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Middlesex County SWAT team, the New Brunswick Police Department, and the FBI’s Franklin Resident Office.
Prosecutor McDonald expressed appreciation for the combined efforts of all the agencies involved in the investigation, emphasizing the collaboration needed to resolve such a significant case.