Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) John K. Kudalor, the Tema Regional Police Commander, on Wednesday explained that Abdul Hakeem Annan Darpoh, the estate developer who was gunned down by a Prampram Police patrol team on July 17 at New Dawhenya near Tema, defied Police orders to lay down his weapon.

Addressing a press conference, DCOP Kudalor said the night before the dawn of the shooting, four policemen from the Prampram Police Headquarters, in service vehicle with the number GP1277, received a distress phone call while on night patrol from a victim concerning series of robbery attacks around New Dawhenya.

He said the patrol team immediately proceeded to the location as directed by the caller and that led the Police to the victim's home.

The Police, on reaching the victim's home, mounted a search for the robbers within a thicket around the house.

He continued that a young man informed the Police that he saw the robbers enter a bush with their booty.

The young man later led the Police to the place where he claimed the armed robbers were hiding, and there, the Police came across three young men having machetes and sticks.

DCOP Kudalor indicated that the Police ordered them to lie down; two of them complied but the deceased, Abdul Hakeem Annan Darpoh allegedly defied the order and started walking towards the Police with a machete in hand.

He said the Police saw this as an intended attack on them and therefore fired at his legs.

The DCOP continued that the Police then took the machete from the deceased and his colleagues and arrested them with a woman suspected to be their accomplice.

He said an amount of GH¢500 and four mobile phones were also found on them.

The deceased, he stated, was immediately rushed to the Tema General Hospital where he was admitted at the Accident and Emergency Centre for treatment while his colleagues were detained at the Prampram Police Station for investigations.

Annan Darpoh, 33, was said to have died the same day at about 4:30pm, and his body deposited first at the Tema General Hospital Morgue but was later conveyed to the Police Hospital morgue in Accra.

According to the DCOP, the three suspects, in their caution statements, denied being armed robbers and intimated that they were also responding to the distress call by victims of the robberies which was why they carried the machetes with them.

The suspects as well denied that the deceased was an armed robber.

DCOP Kudalor continued that on July 19, the Regional Crime Officer together with the Crime Scene Team from Tema re-visited the place and were shown a spot behind the Bethel Assemblies of God Church, New Dawhenya, where the incident took place.

He said blood stains and an AK 47 spent shell were found at the scene and photographs taken.

“Further investigations later revealed that five different families at different locations on the same day were robbed and various items stolen from them, and investigations are ongoing to know the details of the robberies.”

However, colleagues and relatives of the deceased vehemently refuted the claims by the Police, saying the deceased and his colleagues were called to fight the robbers who had invaded the area, adding that the deceased was well known.

DCOP Kudalor indicated that those detained were released as the relatives had planned to attack the Prampram Police Station.

He gave the assurance that the issue was being investigated and that the appropriate action would be taken. Continued    Source: Daily Guide - Daily Guide