Police at Kade arrest six suspected armed robbers

Kade, Nov. 5, GNA - The Police at Kade have arrested six persons suspected to be attacking and robbing travellers between Asuom and Abodom in the Kwaebibrem District in recent times. The gang was said to have managed to escape police patrols on the Kade-Asuom road while operating at night.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Kade on Friday, the Kade District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Glover Sowah, said about a month ago, one Mr Kofi Sampson, a resident of Kade, who was returning from Asuom with his driver on his taxi cab at night were attacked by a gang of armed robbers on an unapproved road between Abaam and Abodom. He said when they tried to by-pass a roadblock, their car was shot at and the vehicle ran into ditch but the driver managed to escape into the bush and four armed men set on him and beat him severely.

DSP Sowah said the driver's mobile phone and 250,000 cedis were seized from him and the battery of the taxi removed. He said Mr Sampson started his own investigations and on October 26, he called his driver's mobile phone number and a woman responded and it was then that he reported the robbery to the Police.

The woman, one Faustina, was traced to a house at Abodom where she and her boyfriend, Michael Gyasi, were arrested. He said on interrogation, Faustina told the police that the mobile phone was given to her as a gift by Michael. Michael on interrogation, confessed and mentioned Augustine Addo Agyei, a student, Kwaku Andrews and Kodua Samuel, both of Abodom, as his accomplices.

D S P Sowah said on the night of October 27, Kwaku Andrews and Kodua Samuel were picked up by the police from their hideout and Augustine Agyei was arrested the next day. Michael Gyasi, said to be the gang leader, further disclosed to the police that the gun used for the operation was provided by the father of Kodua, Mr Kwabena Kodua. When Mr Kodua was apprehended, he said he borrowed a gun from a blacksmith to kill some animals worrying him on his farm and had since returned the gun to the blacksmith.

Meanwhile, the Police have mounted a search for the blacksmith, whose name was not disclosed. When Gyasi's room was searched, two mobile phones, three car tapes, one car battery and two mobile phone batteries were recovered. A search at Kwaku Andrews' room revealed one mobile phone and a car battery, while a dagger was found in the room of Augustine Agyei. Meanwhile, the suspects have been remanded by the Kade District Magistrate's Court. Their plea was not taken and they to re-appear on November 15.