Armed robbers busted

An effective collaboration between the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regional Police Commands has led to the arrest of four members of a suspected armed robbery syndicate who have since last month been allegedly terrorising and robbing people of their properties and monies at gun point in Kumasi, Ejisu, Bekwai, Nkawkaw and their environs.

The suspects, Sadat Mohammed, 23, Abdulai Adamu alias Awudu, 23, Rashid Nuru 21, and Kwame Appiah 20 are said to have committed ten robberies in three separate nights from 23rd May, 25th May and 27th June, 2008 in the Ashanti and Eastern Regions.

The robbers, according to the police after committing the robberies immediately flee to Accra, cool off and resurface in Kumasi to continue their acts.

The four have already been remanded to re-appear on July 25 while efforts have been intensified by the police to apprehend those at large.

Kwame Appiah and Nuru Rashid were said to be among a number of suspected armed robbers rounded up by the Nima Police at their hideout on 25th June 2008 in Accra where the police retrieved two pump action guns from them.

At a press briefing yesterday by the out-going 2nd In-Command of the Ashanti Regional Police Service, Bright Oduro disclosed that even though four of the robbers have been arrested, the leader whose name was known to the police as Mayi, alias Burger remains at large.

According to the Police, two other accomplices who also belong to the robbery syndicate are also at large. They are Ramani and Hamidu who are believed to be hiding in Mamobi and Nima in Accra. The police have posted a reward of GH¢2,000.00 for information on Mayi and the others.

Sadat Mohammed, the police stated was arrested by the Accra Regional team together with his girl-friend Agnes Asiem (Hajia) on June 28, 2006 on a tip-off. Hajia has been identified as the source of supply of the weapons from her other boy friend, Moses now in Police custody in Accra.

Bright Oduro further added that Awudu who was in the company of Sadat and Mayi, driving in a snatched Taxi cab for their last operation got arrested by the Kumasi police when the police became suspicious at the extent at which the snatched taxi was speeding which resulted in a hot chase by the police therefore arresting Awudu but the two managed to escape.

After a search by the police, a pump action gun, and an Israeli made 9mm KAREEM MK II pistol were recovered in the abandoned taxi cab.

Enumerating some of the robbers' activities, Mr. Bright Oduro said on the 23rd May at about 2:15 am, Mayi, Rashid Nuru and Sadat Mohammed with two pump action guns as well as a foreign made pistol attacked lodgers at Pink Panther Hotel located at Adiembra in Kumasi and succeeded in robbing them of their 6 mobile phones, 2 lap top computers, and a DSTV decoder. The victims, according to the police were auditors of Cal Bank in Accra and were in Kumasi on assignment.

Another operation by the robbers, according to the police also took place three days later but this time with the inclusion of Abdulai Adama and Kwame Appiah. The police said the robbers attacked one Emmanuel Acquah, driver of a KIA Pride taxi cab with registration No. AS1495Y at Aboabo and later attacked workers of K Ofori Cement and Iron rods Company at Kwamo near Kumasi and took away cash of GH¢4800.

The robbers, the police say, then drove to Nkawkaw in the same night and attacked workers of Galaxy Oil Ghana Ltd, taking away an amount of GH¢15,000.00. They later abandoned the cab and boarded an Accra bound bus.

Mr. Oduro said about a month later, three members of the syndicate, this time made up of Mayi, Awudu and Sadat returned to Kumasi, snatched a taxi at Aboabo from Mark Abedu, driver of car with registration No. AS 2276 W and proceeded to Bekwai with the taxi where they attacked Amansie International Hotel.

He said the robbers, posing as prospective guests succeeded in robbing a foreigner and his workers of their 4 different mobile phones, GH¢3,400 and US$150.00 at the hotel. Mayi also took one of the lady workers into one of the rooms and raped her. The robbers, he said seized a KIA truck with registration No. GT 5561V belonging to the Whiteman and drove off.

Mr. Bright Oduro added that the victims were at Bekwai to install generators for the district office of the National Health Insurance Scheme and would have left for Accra after completing their work later in the day.