Four suspected robbers were lynched in various incidents in the Kumasi metropolis over the past week. Quite characteristically, nobody came forward to identify any of the deceased persons. Their bodies have been deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching hospital morgue.
In the first incidence on July 18, a young man, believed to be in his mid-20s was killed at Asafo after allegedly robbing a woman of her money. According to eyewitnesses, the deceased was among a group of three who forcibly robbed a woman of her money near Club 84 at Asafo in the night. Luck ran out for him when the woman raised an alarm and people went to her aid.
The eyewitnesses said two of the robbers managed to a board a waiting car and sped off, leaving the deceased behind. Sensing danger, he took to his heels, but the mob pursued and grabbed him and meted out instant justice to him.
In another incidence, two young men were killed and their bodies set on fire with tyres and petrol and Abrepo. They were alleged to be among a group of robbers, including a woman, who invaded the house of a man resident abroad in broad daylight. According to a resident of the area, after packing a number of items from the house, some of the robbers went out to look for a taxi to convey the booty.
The taxi driver, on seeing the items suspected robbery and thought of a plan to cause their arrest. He told the robbers to wait for a while for him to refuel, but on driving out, he reported the matter to some people who organised more people and rushed to the house, situated at the outskirts of Abrepo. The robbers took to the nearby bush when they sensed trouble but two of them were arrested and lynched.
According to the resident, the charged mob went to look for tyres and petrol and set their bodies on fire. In the last incident, a man believed to be in his early 30s, was killed at Kejetia last Friday night when he allegedly stole a mobile phone. His body was still lying on the spot, with stones and clubs all over it, as at 10am on Saturday. Witnesses said the deceased picked a mobile phone from man who was struggling to board a trotro at Kejetia at about 8pm that Friday. When the man raised an alarm, people around pounced on the thief and using stones and other implements, killed him on the spot.
