Obuasi Police busts three armed robbers

Obuasi (Ash), Nov. 29, GNA - Three of four suspected armed robbers involved in an early morning robbery at Bogobiri, a suburb of Obuasi last Monday have been busted by the Obuasi police. They are Kwabena Manu, 23, an Obuasi-based vulcaniser, Kwame Poku alias Boafo, 32, a resident of Bogobiri and Frank Fynn, a taxicab driver from Tarkwa.

A fourth accused, Mubarak alias 'Boy' from Wassa-Darmang near Tarkwa, is on the run, police have said. They allegedly robbed one Nana Kwaku Dwumah, 49, an Obuasi businessman of GH=A25,500.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) F.S. Adekah, Obuasi Municipal Police Commander, who briefed newsmen said apart from using pistol and other weapons for their operation, the suspects had also intermittently changed the registration number of the taxicab they used from AS 5339 Y to AS 5889 Y. He said the four parked the taxi at a hidden area near the victim's house and left the driver there whilst the three went off to monitor the movement of their victim. DSP Adekah said they used mobile phone to communicate with the driver when they saw that the victim was heading to the main road to board a vehicle to town.

When Nana Dwumah reached the main road with the money in a black polythene bag, the driver also reached there and with the indicator light showing that he was going to town, he stopped the taxi and joined. Unknown to him, the driver started to pick the suspects at intervals on the road.

The Municipal Police Commander said on the way, they rolled up the car's windows and stuffed the businessman's mouth to prevent him from shouting for help.

At a point near the Obuasi Amangoase traffic light, Nana Dwumah who had become weak mustered strength and pushed the driver's hands and the steering wheel with his legs, forcing the taxi into a ditch. DSP Adekah said the robbers, sensing danger took the money and fled but for the fear of arrest, took GH=A22,200 and abandoned the polythene with GH=A23,300 in a walk-away nearby. He said the driver went back to Tarkwa t o report to the car owner that the taxi was involved in an accident at Obuasi. He said the owner accompanied him to see the car and they were arrested and interrogated upon a tip-off, which led to the arrest of the other two suspects. The three have been remanded in prison custody in Kumasi by the Obuasi Circuit Court to re-appear on December 18.