Police smash armed robbery syndicate

Ten suspected members of a notorious armed robbery syndicate have been arrested, while three others lost their lives in a shootout with the police during a special operation carried out across five regions. 

The breakthrough, which also led to the seizure of a large cache of weapons and items from the suspects, followed more than a year of painstaking investigations, intelligence gathering and surveillance by the Ghana Police Service.

To boost the morale of personnel of the service and elevate their commitment, the Police Management Board (POMAB) has consequently promoted 12 policemen who took part in the special operation that led to the arrest of the suspects.

The suspects include Akwesi Agyei, alias Cobra; Ibrahim Alhassan, Samuel Appiah, alias Akwesi Mugu; Francis Acquah, alias Preman; and David Obuobi, alias Wasty.

The rest are Martin Akansina, alias One Billion, Nana Yaw Frimpong, alias Mystical; Kojo Atingawo, alias Borga; Samuel Akwasi Gyan and Stephen Sey.

The three other suspects who died after engaging the police in a gun battle during the operation were Kwaku Peprah, alias X5; Boozin and Natty Bongo.

The police have also launched a manhunt to apprehend two others, Kwabena Owusu Ansah and Albert, who are currently on the run.

“I am delighted to announce that we have successfully dismantled the gang behind these robberies,” the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, said at a press conference in Accra yesterday.

He explained that his team had been monitoring a series of robberies that bore similar characteristics.

“My team and I, after analysing these robberies, observed a similar pattern. We immediately got to work. After painstaking investigations, working with credible informants, analysing available data, surveillance across several regions, we launched a targeted operation to arrest these criminal elements,” he explained.

The IGP said the suspects had, over the past year, terrorised financial institutions, particularly rural banks, in the Ahafo, Western, Central, Eastern and Ashanti regions.

He said they allegedly carried out more than a dozen attacks on banks, including the Adansi Rural Bank at Fomena, the Lower Pra Rural Bank in Takoradi Inchaban, the Asokore Rural Bank in Kumasi, the Ahafo Kukuom Rural Community Bank, and the Nnwabiagya Rural Bank at Offinso.

Others are the Bosomtwi Rural Bank at Edwenase, the Kakum Rural Bank at Elmina, the Microfin Rural Bank (MRB) Community Bank at Winneba, the South Birim Rural Bank at Akim Asene, Ecobank at Kenyasi, and the St. Martin De Porres Cooperative Credit Union at Atonsu Monaco.

The police, acting on intelligence, carried out raids in their hideouts in towns including Esereso Adagya, Ejisu-Achiakrom, Atonsu-Kyirapatre, Ahwia-Zongo, Aputuogya-Abuontem, Kaase-BOST, Asuofua, Atonsu-Monaco, Pakyi, Obuasi and Buoho near Kronum, the IGP stated.

He added that the operation led to the recovery of 14 weapons, including AK-47 rifles, pump-action guns, a single-barrel gun, pistols, ammunition, vehicles and mobile phones, among others.

Promotion

On the promotions, IGP Yohuno said three Chief Inspectors had been elevated to attend the Ghana Police Academy, three Inspectors had been promoted to the rank of Chief Inspector, two Sergeants had been elevated to Inspector, a Corporal had been promoted to Sergeant, while three Constables had been promoted to Lance Corporal.

He said that for the senior officers involved, the POMAB would make a decision on them.

Commendation

Mr Yohuno commended the Ashanti Regional Police Commander and his intelligence team for their pivotal role in the success of the operation, as well as other officers who contributed.

Some seized weapons displayed during the press conference at the Police Headquarters in Accra. Pictures: SAMUEL TEI ADANO

He also extended gratitude to members of the public who volunteered credible information, which contributed to the success of the operation, stressing that the fight against crime required strong collaboration between the police and communities.

“Let us all be vigilant members of the community, and report any suspicious persons or activities to the police.

As you may be aware, the service is committed to rewarding credible information shared to support our investigation,” Mr Yohuno said.

The IGP, who was in the company of the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Commissioner of Police (COP) Lydia Yaako Donkor, and other senior officers of the service, gave an assurance that the police would continue to make life uncomfortable for criminal elements in the society, warning, “We will continue to pursue you till you are brought to justice.”

Further particulars

Providing further details, the Director-General of CID said that in several of their dastardly operations, the robbers tied up security guards, seized their weapons, and used industrial cutting machines to cut open vaults from which they stole huge sums of money.

On some occasions, COP Donkor said they held bank staff and their families hostage, and in one case, made away with pump action guns and cash belonging to the police guards on duty.

The CID boss said a critical intelligence gathering pointed to one Kwabena Owusu Ansah, an ex-convict, as the mastermind who recruited others for the operations.

COP Donkor disclosed that some of the arrested suspects had confessed to their roles in the robberies, and several of the exhibits, including weapons and mobile phones, had been positively identified by victims.

She said during the operation, the police retrieved three AK-47s, seven pump-action guns, four pistols, a single-barrel gun, and over 140 rounds of ammunition.

They also recovered GH¢18,845, 104,190 Liberian dollars, ₦5,800, CFA31,000, six vehicles, four motorbikes, assorted mobile phones and pieces of jewellery.

One of the AK-47 rifles, marked GHGP/ASH/TEPA/TP/B-1523, was identified as a weapon of the Ghana Police Service that had been snatched from a police officer, Corporal Francis Yaw Adu, who was killed by armed robbers on the Bibiani-Goaso Highway in November 2024.

Two other rifles were traced to police officers who were disarmed during the robbery at Ecobank, Kenyasi, on September 8 this year.

Identification

COP Donkor added that an identification parade also led to the recognition of the suspects by some bank staff and security guards.

She also praised the Inspector-General of Police for his leadership and expertise in intelligence operations, which, he said, greatly contributed to the success of the mission.

COP Donkor assured the public of the service’s commitment to fight crime and maintain law and order across the country.

“To the criminals out there, always remember that you may run and hide, but we will surely get you arrested to face the full rigours of the law.

We are coming for you,” she said.