Three armed robbers in court

A Fiapre circuit court near Sunyani has remanded three suspected armed robbers who planned to rob a traditional ruler at Ntotoroso, near Kenyasi.

The plea of the robbers, Kwaku Bladanga, 20 an apprentice auto mechanic, Issah Mensah, 19 and Abass Musah, 18, a driver all from Kumasi were not taken on a charge of robbery and were remanded to re-appear on January 17.

Chief Inspector Emmanuel T. Boison told the court that on December 31, last year a joint patrol team of police and the military spotted a bus belonging to the Opportunities and Industrialisation Company (OIC) on the Sunyani estate road and signalled the driver to stop but he sped off.

He said the team chased the vehicle but the occupants abandoned it and took to their heels but the team arrested Bladanga on whom a locally manufactured pistol was found.

Bladanga told police that five of them were recruited in Kumasi by one Taller and Alhaji, residents of Sunyani, to join them in special operations in Brong-Ahafo Region.

At Ntotroso the robbers seized the bus from the OIC office after they had subdued the watchman but they found it difficult to enter the chief's house so abandoned that operation.

On their way back to Sunyani the robbers attacked a fuel filling station but because they could not get any money from the owner, Mr. Zuruka Nai, 45, they shot him in the groin, right thigh and arm and left him.

Residents who heard the gunshots rushed there and took the fuel dealer to the regional hospital where he is on admission.

The robbers again attacked a provisions store and stole about 500 Ghana cedis and some provisions.

Mensah and Musah were later arrested on board a vehicle at the Kumasi station in Sunyani and police are making efforts to arrest the five other suspects.