KNUST students robbed at gunpoint in hostel

Some students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, (KNUST) in Kumasi, have been robbed of their belongings with one student injured by a gang of robbers at the Adjoa Akyiaa Hostel at Bomso over the Easter Holidays.

The gun-wielding masked men carried out the robbery on Saturday night, taking away laptops, phones, computer accessories and unspecified amounts of money from about ten students in the four-storey building.

This comes few days after the Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Kofi Boakye, met with hostel managers and asked them to provide security in the hostels. The directive is yet to be carried out. A victim, Victor Boakye, who had a gun pointed to his head, told Kumasi-based Ultimate Radio his laptop and other computer accessories were taken away.

“It was around 11:30pm and I heard bangs on my door and I thought that it was one of my roommates. They broke into the door wearing masks. They turned on the light and I saw one of them but I didn’t see his face clearly. They pointed a gun at me and asked if I had money, but I said no. They asked whether I wanted to die or not then I responded no. So they took my laptop, modem and external drive from my bag. They hit me with the gun and as they left, I heard they were speaking Hausa and calling other members of the gang who were also robbing on top of the building."

According to the student, the police did not show much concern when they were called.

“When I came out, I realized the first victim who had a second phone called the Police earlier on. And according to him, the police picked the call but he could only hear them chatting instead of attending to him so he ended the call. Later one someone else called the police but when they came they didn’t even come down from their car, and didn’t speak to anybody and just left”.

The injured student told Ultimate Radio, “I was asleep when the person came in and picked the laptop and my phone. When he was leaving in a rush, I pounced on him and he used the gun to hit my head, and because I struggled with him, one of my phones fell off and I took it. But he managed to take away the laptop because he pulled a gun on me. The laptop is not mine. We were two in the room, but the other person was fast asleep. I have visited the Hospital on three occasions so I am feeling okay”.

The victim further narrated “I called the Hostel Manager and he brought the policemen but when they came, they didn’t come to the Hostel to find out whether the robbers had left or not. They spoke to some guys outside the Hostel whiles sitting in their car. They saw me outside with iced-block on my head and they told me to go to the Hospital and report to the police station later”.

Another victim said; “I was here with about four friends having a chat when a guy entered with a mask on his face. We were all a bit surprised and thought it was a mate who was playing a prank on us. I realized he was serious when they ordered us to lie down and bring out everything we have. We were kept in the room whiles others went around to rob other rooms. They took three phones and a laptop from this room”.

There are no streetlights for the not-so-busy area posing a threat to residents as Ultimate Radio gathered the area is noted for robberies. The Adjoa Akyiaa Hostel, close to the Evandi and Royal Gate Hostels, are amongst those that pay huge amounts to hostel managers but obviously do not get value for money.

Police at KNUST have confirmed the robbery but would not on record as investigations have begun into the matter.