Six people who robbed passengers and drivers of their money and belongings on June 15, 2017 on the Ejura-Mampong Road have been arrested by police in the Ashanti Region.
The suspects are Ibrahim Mamudu aka Alijuma, 35, Kofi Azumah alias Adama, 30, Issaka Hamidu alias Musah, 25, Issaka Abubakar, 25, Seidu Osman aka Alhaji, 43 and Ali Issaka aka Sariki, 42.
Four suspects – Ibrahim Mamudu, Kofi Azumah, Issaka Hamidu, and Issaka Abubakar – were arrested onboard a mini bus from Agona to Kumasi at a police barrier, while the other two suspects, Seidu Osman and Ali Issaka were also arrested at their hideout in Kumasi.
ACP Osei Kwaku Ampofo Duku, Ashanti Regional Deputy Police Commander, said one of the suspects managed to escape arrest.
According to him, the suspects, armed with two single-barrel guns and a locally made pistol, on Thursday, June 15, 2017 attacked and robbed passengers and drivers on the Ejura-Mampong Road.
He narrated that the suspects, who took part in the attack, blocked the road at the Bepoa portion of the highway and held the passengers and the drivers hostage before robbing them of their cash, mobile phones and other valuable items.
The police chief said the vigilance of officers at a police barrier on the road led to the arrests of the first four suspects the following day, adding that they were on bound a Kumasi-bound mini bus from Agona.
ACP Ampofo Duku disclosed that Ibrahim Mamudu, Kofi Azumah, Issaka Hamidu and Issaka Abubakar attempted to bolt away, but were apprehended by the police.
He stated that an immediate search conducted on the gang revealed 18 mobile phones and an amount of GHȼ8,716.
Leader of the group, Mamudu aka Alijuma led the police to retrieve two single-barrel guns, one locally made pistol and 20 live BB cartridges in the bush.
The Deputy Police Commander said Alijuma mentioned suspect Seidu Osman alias Seidu Mampiece as the one who supplied the weapons.
He led the police to arrest him at Osman’s base at Atimatim Taabuom.
Mr. Duke said the police again retrieved a locally made pistol and two live BB cartridges from the room of Osman, who also mentioned Ali Issaka aka Sariki, a bicycle dealer at Alabar in Kumasi as the main supplier of weapons to the robbery gang.
Osman again led the police to arrest Sariki at his residence and told the law enforcers that he was just an intermediary who transported the weapons and ammunition between the gang and Sariki.
ACP Duku said all six men, four of who have been identified by their victims, were in the custody of the police assisting with investigations.
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