The police in Kumasi have chalked yet another success in their quest to combat crime in the Ashanti region.
On Tuesday, October 12, the police succeeded in killing a member of a gang of robbers who engaged them in an exchange of fire at Kenyase-Duase New Site, a suburb of Kumasi.
At a press briefing in Kumasi, the Regional Commander of Police, DCOP Patrick Timbilla, said at about 3a.m. on the said day, the police received information that a group of armed robbers had attacked a house at Kenyase-Duase New Site; the information further had it that the victim was engaging the robbers in a gun battle.
Though a police patrol team was dispatched to the scene, the robbers had fled by the time the police reached the scene. The team, as a routine exercise at robbery scenes, started combing the place for suspects or evidence to assist in investigations.
Unknown to the police, one of the robbers believed to be the ring leader had a gunshot wound as a result of the fire exchange with the victim and, since he could not escape, was hiding in a nearby bush.
Mr. Timbilla said the search took two of the police officers to where the wounded robber was hiding. He fired at an officer in a desperate attempt to escape, missing him narrowly.
The police returned fire, killing the robber.
An examination of the body revealed an earlier wound on the right arm suspected to have been inflicted by the victim of the robbery.
The Mortal Remains of one of the Suspected Armed Robbers
The deceased, who is believed to be in his early 30s, had two plasters on his face, either to conceal or feign tribal marks possibly to alter his facial appearance. When the plasters were removed, a tribal mark was found on the left cheek.
The deceased was in possession of a pump action shot gun, two chisels, 21 live cartridges, six spent cartridges (empty wads), a flash light, pepper spray and two mobile phones believed to belong to a victim whom the police believed was robbed earlier.
DCOP Timbilla observed that the region had recorded almost zero robberies in the past three months since they began to wage war on robbers.
“We have been up and doing day and night ever since we waged the war on robbers in the region, we shall continue to fight crime until the criminals in the region stop the nefarious activities,” assured the Commander.
He appealed to radio stations not to go on air announcing crime scenes but should first inform the police so that they do not, in their bid to assist the public, serve as informants to the criminals.
He also asked the general public to call the police on 051-22306 whenever there is crime anywhere or suspect anybody or group of criminals.
FROM JAMES APPIAKORANG JNR., KUMASI