Crowd foils robbery attack on phone card vendor

A 20-year-old man, Felix Boakye, was nearly lynched by some residents of Madina Akosombo Junction in Accra, after he was overpowered during an alleged robbery attack on a mobile money and phone card vendor.

But for the swift intervention of some good samaritans, Boakye would have been killed by the angry mob last Monday.

He was handed over to the police and taken to the Police Hospital in Accra, where he is currently receiving treatment for injuries he sustained from the beatings he suffered at the hands of the mob.

The Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mrs Effia Tenge, confirmed the incident and said the suspect was currently under police guard at the hospital.

Robbery attack

Boakye is alleged to have attacked the young male operating a mobile money and phone card business about 1:30 p.m. The victim’s name is being withheld by the police for security reasons.

The victim, at the time, was said to be in the company of a distributor of mobile phone recharge cards, whose identity is also being kept by the police.

Boakye allegedly ordered them at gunpoint to hand over their money and valuables and further grabbed a handbag containing phone recharge cards and money realised from the day’s sales activity.

Resistance

The victim, however, put up a brave resistance and held onto the bag while the two struggled for control.

The victim and the recharge card supplier’s call for help attracted shop owners, passers-by and some residents nearby to the scene.

The crowd that gathered overpowered Boakye, disarmed him and retrieved the bag from him and handed it over to the victim.

Meanwhile, the pistol, that was in Boakye’s possession during the attack, has been handed over to the police.