Police jail five-man armed robbery gang

The Greater Accra Regional Police Command has secured convictions against all five members of a robbery syndicate responsible for violent attacks at Jos Bakery in Dome and ACP Junction near Kwabenya, with sentences ranging from 10 to 15 years’ imprisonment.

A Police press release said in the first incident on May 11, 2025, two armed assailants—Isaac Agbezudor, 20, alias “Money Man,” a mechanic, and Justice Akwasi Sarfo Oppong, 19, alias “Gariba Manta” or “Demon,” an okada rider—stormed Jos Bakery’s Head Office in Dome at 1:25 a.m. Brandishing a locally manufactured pistol, the duo fired warning shots to terrorise staff before escaping with a Tecno Pop 8 phone (GH¢1,500) and a handbag. Riding an unregistered motorbike, they fled the scene.

A police covert operation led to Agbezudor’s arrest on May 14. His confession during interrogation enabled investigators to recover the robbery’s operational tools: the motorbike, clothing, and identification of his accomplice.

By May 22, 2025, intelligence tracking led to Gariba Manta’s arrest at an Osino-Saaman mining site. He later guided officers to a Sonitra hideout in Amasaman, where the pistol and live ammunition were retrieved.

The Kwabenya Circuit Court convicted both suspects, sentencing Agbezudor to 10 years (two concurrent counts) and Manta to 15 years.

Probes revealed Manta’s involvement in an earlier 5th February robbery at ACP Junction, where he and three others—Bright Alikor, 21 (“Zaamani”), Emmanuel Nii Odartey Lamptey, 23 (“Chameleon”), and Prince Owusu, 19 (“Check Boy”)—assaulted a woman with a knife and scissors. They stole an iPhone 11 Pro Max, a Samsung tablet, and GH¢6,000 cash, leaving the victim with stab wounds.

Targeted police operations culminated in the trio’s arrest. All received 15-year sentences after trial. Authorities are also pursuing a Koforidua-based suspect linked to the stolen iPhone’s purchase.

DCOP Duuti Tuaruka, Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, praised the intelligence and operations teams for their swift work. He urged public cooperation in crime prevention, assuring informants of confidentiality: “Such collaboration is vital to building safer communities.”

Superintendent Juliana Obeng, Head of Public Affairs, signed the statement, reaffirming the police’s commitment to tackling violent crime.