Notorious armed robber killed in Bolga

Many residents of Bolgatanga and its environs are expressing mixed feelings, following an announced by the police that a notorious armed robber, Apusika Atambasi, 30, had been killed. While some are happy, others are scared of what the many disciples of the deceased could do in retaliation of what had befallen their “lord and master.”

Residents say he was known by many people as a notorious armed robber yet, people did not have the courage to report him to the police because it was believed that he had a supernatural power with which he was able to detect what people were planning about him.

After years of being on various police wanted lists across the country, Apusika Atambasi was accidentally killed in a cross-fire with the police at Dachio in the Bolgatanga municipality. The deceased is said to have been involved in many of the high-profile robberies in other regions, including the Greater Accra Region.

A close relation told the DAILY GUIDE that the death of the suspected robber was good news, saying he was earlier arrested for stealing an official police pump action gun in Tema. He allegedly sold the gun to a lecturer in Cape Coast. It was when the lecturer was going to register the gun that it was detected to be a stolen weapon.

Investigations led to Atambasi’s arrest, and he was subsequently granted bail. He ran to Bolgatanga, where he operated till he was accidentally shot dead.

Three other persons – Paul Anafo, Abire Ayiguda and Emmanuel Anaba – are being held by the Upper East Regional police command for offensive conduct, harbouring and treating some gunshot wounds the deceased is believed to have sustained in an earlier robbery operation.

On Wednesday the police said they had a tip-off that Apusika Atambasi was in a hideout at Dachio, where he was receiving treatment.

According to the Upper East Regional Police Commander, ACP Simon Afeku, armed police personnel were quickly deployed to the hideout, where the deceased engaged them in a gun battle which accidentally led to his death.

The Commander said a search on the deceased revealed that he had a loaded Revolver Pistol, a big hammer and a sickle. At the scene, police arrested Paul Anafo 21, for boldly saying he would continue from where the deceased left off (constituting an offensive conduct).

ACP Simon Afeku advised health workers and traditional healers to be patriotic and report suspicious people who come seeking medical attention for their wounds.