Car Jackers Busted

THREE suspected armed robbers who allegedly snatched a taxi from its owner at gunpoint, have been busted by the Kasoa Police in the Central Region.

The three, Abass Sule, 20, student; Tanko Nuhu, 26, artisan; and Theophilus Aryee, 26, mason, were picked from their hideouts during a military/police operation upon a tip-off.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE at the Kasoa District Police Headquarters yesterday, the District Crime Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mahama Arhin said the trio, on March 26 this year, hired the services of the driver of an Opel Astra with registration number AS151X from Mallam Junction to Opeikuma, a suburb of Kasoa.

On reaching their destination, the suspects requested the taxi driver, Emmanuel Tetteh to drive them farther to their farm on the outskirts of the town.

According to ASP Mr. Arhin, the suspects alighted from the car when they got to the said farm and went into some kind of a meeting while the driver waited for them to pay him for his services.

Theophilus suddenly came back, pulled out a locally manufactured pistol and ordered Mr. Tetteh to surrender the taxi or risk being shot.

ASP Arhin stated further that Tanko also pulled out a dagger while Abass jumped into the car and pushed the driver out. With that, the suspects sped away in the car using the Obuom Road leading to Amasaman.

“Information reached the police and we quickly deployed men to chase the suspects, but to no avail,” the police boss related.

ASP Arhin narrated that upon a tip-off, a military-cum-police operation mounted at Down Town, a suburb of Kasoa, about 1.00am on March 27, led to the discovery of the taxi in the house of Abass, but its number plates and other decorative items were removed.

The decorative items, as stated by ASP Arhin, were later found in another car parked in the same house, allegedly belonging to Abass' father (name withheld).

A search conducted in the suspects' room revealed a locally made pistol, three mobile phones, a knife, some pairs of scissors, a car tape and other electrical appliances suspected to be stolen items.

Upon interrogation, Abass mentioned Theophilus Aryee and Tanko Nuhu as his two accomplices. They were also picked up later from their hideouts.

Abass' father was also arrested to assist the police in their investigations.

The two cars were later sent to the Kasoa District Police Office where Mr. Tetteh had identified the cabbie as the one stolen from him.

The suspects were being interrogated and would soon be put before court after investigations have been concluded.

The District Crime Officer lamented the high rate of armed robbery in Kasoa and its environs, and stated that the police, with the support of the military, had intensified their patrols and other operations to weed out such undesirable elements in society.

ASP Arhin therefore appealed to the public to volunteer information to the police on suspicious characters in their midst for rapid action.

He promised anonymity or protection for all informants to the police, and expressed his gratitude to the few whose cooperation had led to arrests, prosecution and jailing of criminals.

By Wisdom Peter Awuku