Takoradi: Police arrest robbers after gun battle

A fugitive member of an eight gang armed robbers has been arrested by the Mpohor District Police Command in the Western Region after he exchanged gunfire with a police patrol team.

The suspect, 33-year-old Philemon Essien went into hiding after he and seven others attacked and robbed two scrap dealers who had gone to Mpohor to do business on Saturday, January 8, 2022.

A police report narrated that the scrap dealers [victims] Haruna Dayan and Abdul Rauf, both residents of Kansaworodo a suburb of Sekondi on Saturday went to the Mpohor Township to look for scraps to buy when they were attacked and robbed.

“The former reported that same day at about 1200hrs whilst going round in search of scrap metals to buy they were attacked by eight (8) men armed with locally made pistol and cutlasses, on board opel taxi cab with reg no. WR 3186 – 14. That in the process, one of the armed men cut the complainant’s pocket with a knife and made away with his GHc1200”, the report read.

Following the report, the Mpohor Police Command activated a search for the suspects.

While at it the youth of Ayiem a nearby town, who had also heard the news and had volunteered to help with the search for the suspects, alerted the police that they have been able to apprehend four of them except Philemon Essien who is armed with a locally manufactured gun.

The patrol team then proceeded to the River Butre where Philemon was being held up by the youth of Ayiem and after minutes of exchange of gunfire was overpowered and arrested.

“In the course of the exchange of fire, Philemon Essien sustained a gunshot wound in his left hand”.

According to the report, suspect Philemon Essien who sustained the gun shot on the hand and suspect Emmanuel Yaley who was severely beaten by the youth of Ayiem in the course of arrest were rushed to Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital where they were admitted for treatment under Police guard.

The Mpohor Police Command assured that efforts are being made to apprehend the two other suspects who are on the run.

In the meantime, all the arrested suspects will be arraigned before the District magistrate court on Monday 10/1/2022 on a holding charge of robbery to be remanded for investigation to continue.

They are Philemon Essien 33years, Emmanuel Yaley 25years, Mohammed Sumaila 29years, Evans Amarh 25years, Patrick Aboah 25years and Augustine Nana Abaka 27years.

---3news.com