Police arrest armed robber

Accra, Oct. 12, GNA - One of four armed men, who robbed three houses at Adjiriganor in Accra at dawn on Wednesday has been arrested by the police.

Olasie Valentine, a 28-year-old Nigerian and a member of group who sustained gun shot wounds on his right thigh, was picked up by the Police Patrol team near the toll booth on the Accra-Tema Motorway. However, two of his accomplices managed to escape. Briefing the media in Accra, Chief Superintendent of Police Mr. Bright Oduro, Regional Crime officer, said Valentine had confessed that he and his three accomplices earlier on robbed two houses in the vicinity.

He said Valentine disclosed that in the first house, they took a cell phone and a wedding ring belonging to one Mrs. Margaret Oko. They were unable enter the second house so they went to the house of Mr Mohammed Makkaoui, a Lebanese businessman. The Regional Crime Officer said at Mr Makkaoui's house, the robbers scaled the wall and entered the compound. The robbers, he said, assaulted Mr. Makkaoui and ordered him to bring out all the money in the house. Chief Superintendent Oduro said while, the robbers were searching drawers packed with socks, Mr. Makkaoui's pistol fell but he saw it and stood on it.

The robbers after searching the house, made away with 16,000 dollars and two mobile phones. The crime officer said Mr Makkaoui took the pistol and fired shots after the robbers. However, the robbers returned to pick their locally manufactured pistol and Mr Makkaoui shot them with two of them sustaining gunshots wounds.

Chief Superintendent Oduro said when the police visited the scene, it traced bloodstains to 50 meters away from scene and found the body of one of robbers.

He said the body of the deceased had been deposited at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Mortuary, while Valentine was receiving treatment. Chief Supt. Oduro said when the Police searched the deceased, they found two cell phones and money, including foreign currency notes. 12 Oct. 05