Three armed robbers gunned down, five arrested

Accra, Feb. 17, GNA - The Greater Accra Regional Police on Friday said the Police shot dead three suspected armed robbers in two separate operations at Ashaiman, near Tema and Dzowulu in Accra.

One Abu Dodze, who was among five suspected armed robbers the Police had declared wanted was killed in a gun battle with the Police at Ahsaiman, near Tema while the two others were shot dead after three of them had snatched a taxicab at Kanda in Accra.

The other four suspects declared wanted were also arrested. Briefing the Ghana News Agency, Mr Bright Oduro, Greater Accra Regional Crime Officer, said during the last quarter of 2005, the Accra Regional Police Command declared five suspected armed robbers wanted and two of them - Kennedy Owusu alias Shef and Saliu alias Sloppy - were arrested during the period.

He said on February 14, 2006, around 0930 hours Detective Inspector Justice Oppong of the Accra Regional CID, led a team of Police men and arrested Bawa Faisal, one of the suspects at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle. Mr Oduro said upon interrogation, the suspect mentioned Razak and Abu Dodze as the remaining members of their gang.

He said Bawa led Police to Darkuman Alafia on the same day where Razak, the fourth suspect was arrested.

Mr Oduro said on February 15, 2006, Razak who admitted being an armed robber mentioned Abu Dodze as the only remaining member of the gang. He said around 2000 hours on the same day, Bawa led the Police to a spot in Ashaiaman where he identified Abu Dodze, who engaged the Police in a shoot out to avoid arrest.

Mr Oduro said Dodze died on admission at the Police Hospital in Accra on February 16 from a gunshot wound to his head.

In the Kanda incident three armed robbers attacked a taxi driver and seized his taxicab on February 17 (today) at about 0100 hours, three men armed with a locally manufactured pistol, a pair of scissors and a screw driver attacked Isaac Yeboa Nkansa, driver of Opel Vectra taxicab with registration number GW 4370T at TV 3, area in Kanda snatched the taxi and an unspecified amount of money from the driver. He said at about 0200 hours a Police Patrol team spotted the taxicab with the three suspects on board at Dzorwulu and they were chased after it failed to stop after Police signals.

Mr Oduro said the suspects abandoned the taxi and fled and the Police opened fire on them.

Aziz Saliu was arrested with the help of some neighbours. He said a suspect, Jimbo, was hit by bullets on his right arm and thigh while another suspect Salouni was hit on the fore head and they fell dead. Two cartridges were retrieved from the taxicab, Mr Oduro said.