Winneba Police grab 3 suspected armed robbers

The Winneba Police have arrested three suspected armed robbers who have allegedly been terrorising residents of Winneba and its surrounding towns.

The suspects, who have been identified as Alfred Mensah, 21; Benedict Acquah (alias Boboski) and Emmanuel Kwame Kwoffie (a.k.a Kilo), aged 23, are all natives of Apremdo, near Takoradi, in the Western Region.

According to information gathered, Kwoffie, who was previously engaged in galamsey and cable theft, lured Boboski and Alfred into stealing cables in Takoradi.

When they got to know that the public had got wind of their criminal activities, Boboski convinced his accomplices to relocate to Winneba to continue their criminal acts.

Addressing the media last Friday at Agona Swedru, the Swedru Divisional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Richard Nana Asomah, said since April 15, this year, armed robbers had intensified their attacks on residents of Winneba, especially those living in Low Cost, Eyigyaa Lodge, Ansaful, Gyatekrom and the North Campus of the University of Education, Winneba.

He said in all those attacks, the robbers did not only rob but also raped their female victims.

Mr Asomah noted that from the date the robberies started, 17 robberies on households had been recorded, with 14 females being raped and a taxi driver (Kwame) meeting his untimely death.

He stressed that on Sunday, June 16,  2013, at about 11 a.m., Mensah, Acquah and Kwoffie, were arrested in one of their usual operations at West Roundabout, near the Winneba roundabout, by the police patrol team.

He said a search was conducted on them, which led to the discovery of a set of jewelleries and coins (worth GH¢33.40p).

He added that an identification parade was organised at the Winneba Police Station last Tuesday and six of the victims identified some of the suspects as members of the group that brutalised, robbed and raped them.

The suspects have since been arraigned before the Winneba Magistrate Court and remanded in prison custody to reappear in court on June 26, 2013. Meanwhile, investigations are ongoing.

Mr Asomah has appealed to members of the public, who have been victims of robbery attacks recently, to contact the Winneba Police to assist in investigations.

The divisional commander noted further that the police in the division had been resourced logistically to prevent criminal acts in the area.

By Gilbert Mawuli Agbey