The robber, Joseph Okay, 19, alias Ganyo, a scrap dealer, is said to have attacked his victims unmasked, wielding two machetes and allegedly told some of them he would return to rob them and he did.

 

“True to his words, he went back after some days to rob the people he had previously attacked,” said the Dansoman Divisional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr Antwi Tabi.   

 

Terror at dawn

 

About 3 a.m. on May 4, 2015, Mr Tabi said, the suspect attacked a 26-year-old woman, Ms Evelyn Armah, in her room while she was sleeping with her 64-year-old mother.

 

According to him, Evelyn said Okay, armed with two machetes and wearing only a black cap which covered his face partially, commanded them to hand over any money and valuables they had on them.

 

Evelyn then handed over to Okay her laptop, a lady's handbag containing wrist watches, cheque leaflet and Samsung phones. 

 

“The victim said when she attempted to raise the alarm, the suspect warned her that he would maim her with the machete if she dared. He also told her he would return to rob them again.”

 

About two days later, Evelyn was attacked by Okay again and he took $900, which was in her handbag and GH¢600 belonging to her mother.

 

Mr Tabi said another victim, Michael Amponsah, had told the police that he was sleeping outside his room with two of his relations as a result of a power outage when Okay attacked them around 2 a.m.

 

He said Okay managed to escape with GH¢400 and some pairs of men’s shoes but left his machete when they raised an alarm and gave him a hot chase.

 

Mr Amponsah later reported the incident to the police and handed over the machete to them.

 

Pepper in his eyes

 

According to Mr Tabi, Amponsah later received a message from Okay, through a relation, that he would ‘massacre’ him and about 2 a.m. on May 7, 2015, Amponsah said he was sleeping in his room when Okay broke into the room again, but  fled when Amponsah raised an alarm.

 

Thirty minutes later, Okay attacked another man in the Dansoman area while he was sleeping at the top floor of an uncompleted storey building with his friends, due to a power outage in the area.

 

He took GH¢100 and a mobile phone and when they gave him a hot chase, he fled.

 

Unknown to the victim, Okay followed him when he was going to inform an aunt in her house which was nearby.

 

Okay entered the house and commanded the aunt of the victim, Rosemond Ankomah, 42, and other members of the household to surrender their valuables. Rosemond courageously poured a bucket of water mixed with powdered pepper on Okay.

 

Even with the pepper in his eyes, Okay tried to escape but was arrested at Zamrama Line about 5 a.m., at a place believed to be his hideout.