Four suspected armed robbers arrested

Amuana-Praso(E/R), May 30, GNA - A combined team of Koforidua and Akyem Oda Divisional Police personnel have arrested four armed robbers who robbed the agency of Mponua Rural Bank at New Abirem of 64 million cedis on April 25.

The robbers are Seth Ampofo, a private security officer, Ebenezer Mensah, Lawrence Bonnah and Kofi Barffour. Briefing shareholders of the bank at an extra-ordinary general meeting at Amuana-Praso, the Akyem Oda Divisional Crime Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police Sampson Agbeko said after the Afosu Police received a report that the bank agency had been robbed, a message was dispatched to police stations for the arrest of the robbers who were heading towards Kade.

He said police personnel from the Akyem Oda division saw the robbers in a Hyundai private saloon car and gave them a chase in a taxi. The robbers opened fire on the police, hitting the windscreen of the taxi and escaped. Stray bullets also hit four people and were taken to the St. Dominic Hospital at Akwatia. He said police investigation led to the arrest of Ampofo who was alleged to have invited the armed robbers for the operation. Ampofo mentioned Mensah as the one who provided the vehicle used for the robbery.

He said Mensah was arrested at a drinking bar at Nsawam but in the process of arresting him Corporal Mark Victor Anako sustained gun shot wounds on the left thigh and was taken to the Police Hospital. The Crime Officer said the police were investigating reports that Bonna was recently released from prison after serving a nine-year sentence for robbery while Mensah was on bail for engaging in robbery. The Acting Manager of the bank, Mr Godwin Ahadzi, commended the police for arresting the robbers since they had planned to attack other agencies of the bank in the area due to the absence of police personnel manning them.

He said following an appeal to the Inspector General of Police additional police personnel have been posted to the Afosu Police Station and that had enabled the police to provide a 24-hour guard at the bank agency at New Aberim.