Suspected armed robber dies of gunshot wounds

Sunyani July 1, GNA - A 29-year-old suspected armed robber died in hospital on Wednesday from gunshot wounds he received from the police when he and two colleagues attempted to rob a rural bank at Abesim, near Sunyani.

The deceased, Kofi James, mentioned his accomplices as Oti and Braimah before he died. The police have mounted a search for the two.

Inspector Christopher Tawiah, Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) told the Ghana News Agency that the police had a tip off at about 0340 hours on Tuesday that armed robbers had raided Capital Rural Bank Limited, at Abesim.

He said the police immediately rushed to the scene and realising that the ceiling of the bank had been tampered with they ordered the robbers to surrender.

The Police PRO said the police moved in when the robbers failed to surrender and in the process James went out through the ceiling, jumped over a wall and took to his heels.

He said he was ordered to stop but he continued to run away so the police shot at his thigh and arrested him.

The suspected armed robber was sent to the Regional Hospital in Sunyani but he died the following morning, he added Inspector Tawiah said James told the police to contact one Abena Anima, a banku seller at Abesim to know the whereabouts of his accomplices.

He said the woman when contacted said she only knew the deceased and had not even heard the names of the other two, adding that police investigation revealed that James was a photographer. The PRO appealed to the public to remain alert and not to hesitate to inform the police about any suspicious activities. 01 July 04