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27.02.2015 Crime & Punishment

Soldier Nabbed For Robbery

By Daily Guide
The suspects and the money found on themThe suspects and the money found on them
27.02.2015 LISTEN

SIX ARMED robbers, including a serving military officer, have been arrested by the Sunyani police patrol team after allegedly robbing a macro finance company at gunpoint at Wenchi in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

The notorious armed robbery syndicate, most of whom are said to be on police wanted list, were grabbed in the early hours of Thursday with their booty at the Yawhima barrier, near Sunyani, when they were returning after allegedly robbing the Wenchi branch of BACCSOD Macro Finance Company which is owned by the Catholic Church.

The suspects are Staff Sergeant Alhassan Hameed, 42, a military officer of the Third Infantry Battalion (3BN) in Sunyani; Sheriff Adams aka Alhaji Fresh, 31, a suspected hardened criminal who is currently standing trial for robbery at the high court but was granted bail; Osei Kuffour, 32; Kwadwo Francis, 25; Exmond Bawuah, 27 and Kwabena Yeboah, 32.

The arrest of the gang drew a large crowd of residents to the regional police headquarters to catch a glimpse of the suspects.

Briefing the media, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Crime Officer, Superintendent Alhaji Maama Arhin, said the suspects had earlier in the night (Wednesday) stormed the bank at gunpoint and tied the watchman on duty, broke into the building and took away an unspecified amount of money in different denominations.

They then picked the watchman, dumped him at a distance and then took off.

He said upon information, all patrol teams in the region were alerted, leading to the arrest of the suspects at the barrier when they were going back to their base in Sunyani.

Supt. Arhin said a search on them revealed four mobile phones, two knives, two crowbars, one screw driver, one strong decoder, one military uniform, an unspecified amount of money, a machete, a pistol and cartridges.

The Opel Astra taxi with registration number ER 3527-U, which the suspects had allegedly been using in their robbery operations, has also been impounded by the police.

'This syndicate has been on the wanted list of the Brong-Ahafo police for some time now,' Supt Arhin said, adding, 'They have robbed Derma Rural Bank, Sunyani branch, Bechem Rural Bank and Bomaa Rural Bank with the same modus [operandi].'

He said a victim, Tigri Abu, has also identified the soldier and Kwadwo Francis for having robbed him in Kumasi of his Ecolak bag containing a laptop, iPad, Samsung Galaxy 5, iPhone, six mobile phones with passport and a cash amount of 1.5 million CFA.

'We are pleading [with] the public to come and assist us. Whoever has been robbed by these people should come and give us information while we prepare them for court,' he appealed.

Banker-To-Banker
In a related development, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Lottery Authority, with the assistance of the police, has busted 13 suspects who were engaging in illegal lottery at Techiman.

The suspects are Aboagye Godwin, 26; Kyere Charles, 35; Usiff Shakuru, 21; Boadi Solomon, 36; Richard Annor, 26; Adjei Eric, 25 and Issaka Abdul Mumuni, 32.

The rest are Obeng Emmanuel, 22; Clement Nsenkyire, 40; Osei Kuffour, 52; Benjamin Akwasi Ameyaw, 32; Abubakari Sadik, 23 and Osei Osae, 21. They would be put before court today.

 Email:  [email protected]
 FROM Fred Tettey Alarti-Amoako, Sunyani

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