Ashaiman Gang Captured

WITH THE support of a youth association in Ashaiman, a notorious armed robber, Himbo Abdul-Raham Mohammed, who has been named in most armed robbery cases in Ashaiman, Tema and beyond has been nabbed.

Himbo, 28, a Nigerien, was cornered by the youth around Asensu Bar, after robbing one Issifu Amasu of ¢5million at knife point around old Tulaku on October 27, this year.

Briefing newsmen, the District Commander of the Ashaiman District Police, DSP Frank Awu disclosed that various youth associations were informed about the robbery expeditions of Himbo and his accomplices.

According to DSP Awu, at dawn over the weekend, he had a telephone call from one of the youth associations that Himbo had been captured and this was confirmed when he contacted the police charge office.

The District Police Commander said the police have been on the tracks of Himbo for several months without success, and that a complaint was recently lodged by Amasu that some armed robbers led by Himbo had attacked him.

He said based on this information, the various youth associations in Ashaiman were asked to assist to apprehend the alleged robber and his colleagues, leading to his subsequent arrest last week Friday.

The Ashaiman Police have, as well, arrested three other 'most wanted' armed robbers, with two of them yet to appear in court.
They are to be charged with various offences linked to other robbery cases in which they had been declared wanted.

One of them, Kwame Frimpong, 22, a native of Bompata in the Ashanti Region who was arrested earlier in connection with a robbery case at a filling station at Kobekro, near Katamanso, had already been arraigned before court and is in prison custody.

However, authorities of the Ghana Prisons Service have refused to accommodate the alleged robber, because of a gunshot wound he sustained during a gun battle with the filling station attendant.

The rest are expected to appear in court either today or tomorrow.
Those to be charged include Himbo, Kwadwo Abakwam, also known as Big Joe, aged 36 and Issah Musah, 32, who have been charged with robbery, murder and assault respectively.

Musah, a Nigerian from Sokoto is also being held as an accomplice of Himbo.

Big Joe, a native of Navrongo in the Upper East Region is to face charges of murder for shooting a trader, Abubakar Sulemana in the chest on August 24 this year at Lebanon Zone 5, after an argument ensued between them.

DSP Awu said he was happy the robbers, particularly Himbo had been arrested before CAN 2008.

From Simmons Yussif Kewura, Ashaiman