Police investigate bullion van attack

The Ghana Police Service has begun investigation into alleged robbery attack on GCB bullion van last Tuesday at Afram Plains in the Eastern Region and disturbances that ensued after the attackers, involving two police officers, escaped.

“The police have commenced investigation into the entire incidents on the front of the robbery attack, arrest and escape as well as public disorder and disturbances,” COP Prosper Kwame Agblor, Director General of Police Investigation Department told journalists on Friday.

“The conduct of the police officers involved in the robbery and those involved in the arrest and escort of the suspects will be subjected to a thorough investigation,” he said “and anyone found to have mis-conducted himself or herself accordingly punished.” He said the police would pursue rioters at Donkorkrom and Tiase [where riots sparked] until the perpetrators were arrested and prosecuted, adding “no single person who has a hand in this act of criminality will escape the wrath of the law.” Residents of the area clashed with police on Thursday after inhabitants staged a demonstration to register their anger over the escape of two police officers and a civilian, who were arrested in the failed GCB Bank bullion car robbery. The police vowed to clamp down on what they called “evil behaviours” in the society and would use the incident in Donkorkrom as a test case.

COP Agblor said the practice of attacking police offices, accommodation facilities and logistics with impunity were becoming provocative and rampant and must be stopped.

“What the people who engaged in these shameful acts fail to recognize is that these attitudes affect the development of their communities,” he said.

He also warned that “communities which attack their police and damage their police stations will suffer a close down of their stations, and will not to be reopened until they have renovated or reconstructed them at their own expense.”

He assured the pubic that Donkorkrom was calm following deployment of police personnel from the Formed Police Unit, Counter Terrorist Unit and other action units in the area to maintain law and order.

“We wish to entreat the residents of Afram Plains to remain calm as investigation into the incident continues.”