Armed robbers ambush lotto agent

Bawku (U/E), March 03, GNA - A lotto receiving agent at Bawku, Sumaila Akologo, was on Wednesday night attacked by three armed robbers on the Missiga-Pusiga highway whilst on his way to return the day's proceeds to the lotto operators, Honesty Lotteries at Pusiga.

The robbers made away with over A230 million and the staked coupons after attacking another motor rider who chanced on the scene. Narrating the incident to the Ghana New Agency (GNA), on his hospital bed, Akologo, 47, and father of five, said he has been in this business for over 10 years.

He said due to the risk involved in carrying huge sums of money in the night, he often changes his route frequently to avoid any incident. He said after collecting the staked coupons and money from the various sales points in Bawku and other towns, he left for Pusiga at about 2300 hours to return the proceeds to his master at Pusiga.

According to Sumaila, whilst approaching Pusiga, he saw three men with two repairing a supposedly broken down motor bike whilst a third he identified as Mummuni trying to stop him for assistance.

He said since he knew Mummuni he decided to stop and offer any help but hardly had he stopped than one of them pulled a gun and when he mentioned Mummuni's name he was shot at.

The bullet hit his right arm and he took to his heels, with the robbers thinking that he was going to die.

Another motor rider who appeared on the scene shortly was robbed of his motor bike and the three fled whilst they abandoned Sumaila's motor bike.

ASP Alex Acquah, Bawku District Police Commander, confirmed the incident and said two persons have been arrested and placed in prison custody for further investigations.

He named them as Mummuni Abugri, 35, who was identified by Sumaila at the crime scene and Emmanuel Akillibe, 24, who was picked up after a tip-off.

ASP Acquah explained that the informant said he met Akillibe with two others on two motor bikes on top speed when he was returning from Pusiga and the lights of his motor bike fell on them.

He said when the police arrived on the crime scene they saw an expelled shell and one live bullet, which suggested that the robbers used an AK 47 assault rifle to commit the crime.

He expressed concern over such huge amounts of money being carried at that period of the night and called on the business community to be conscious of their personal security.

The victim is currently responding to treatment at the hospital.