Armed robbers on Friday evening attacked and robbed at gunpoint a bullion van carrying an unspecified amount of money from Techiman to Sunyani.
Whereas it has been reported that the police are yet to see the waybill to ascertain the actual amount stolen, some sources are claiming the hoodlums took away a whopping GH¢600,000, while others claim it was far more than the stated amount.
The unfortunate incident occurred on the outskirts of a village called Maampehia in the Techiman Municipality where the robbers made away with huge cash, leaving the driver and a police guard injured in the process.
According to the Bono East Regional Police Commander, DCOP Djan Kyere, after the attack, the armed robbers who were four in number took away an AK 47 from the police officer, but added that the criminals were already armed with another AK 47 for the operation.
Opening Fire
He explained to DAILY GUIDE on phone that at about 5:30 pm on Friday, the bullion van (GT 3181-W) belonging to Absa Bank in Techiman was loaded with money, with a police officer and a cash boy on board, including the driver of the van. They were heading towards Sunyani but on reaching the outskirts of Maapehia, four armed robbers opened fire on the van.
The driver, Frank Agyemang, in attempt to reverse the car, was shot in the hand through the window, and it injured Lance Corporal Yussifi Abubakar as well.
He said the robbers brought out the container with the money, broke it open and took away the money, leaving behind smaller denominations on the street in the community.
“They fled into the bush with the money and two AK 47 guns. When we received the message, a police patrol team quickly went to the scene, combed the bush around the area but couldn’t find them,” he said.
The policeman who sustained minor injury and the driver were rushed to the Techiman Holy Family Hospital, where they were treated and discharged.
Akumadan Incident
DCOP Kyere explained further that on Saturday morning, police at Akumadan on the Kumasi-Techiman highway intercepted a saloon car, which the occupants abandoned on the road.
He said officers at Akumadan explained that a security man who was guarding a new gari processing factory in the area saw a saloon car which passed by, but in a few minutes the same car came back and entered the premises of the factory.
“Thinking they were there to rob, the private security man sneaked out and informed police in the town. Our men quickly rushed there and saw four men trying to share money in a sack. Upon seeing the police, they fled into the bush leaving behind GH¢195,000 on the ground,” the police commander recounted.
He said at the robbery scene at Maampehia, the robbers left behind GH¢39,000 in different denominations.
Pastor’s Angle
DCOP Kyere said while police personnel and bank officials at Akumadan were checking details of the saloon car, a man, who claimed to be a pastor, came around and claimed ownership of the car.
According to the commander, the pastor told the police that four men came to him from Kumasi and pleaded with him to give them his car for an ‘operation’ which he obliged because he knew them.
According to DCOP Kyere, the four men hired a hotel at Chiraa and believed that was where they came from on that day to embark on the operation.
After the operation, they went back to Chiraa and used Afrancho road linking Akumadan and were about to share the booty at the uncompleted gari factory when they were spotted by the security man.
A G3 and a pump action gun were retrieved from the saloon car, but the robbers bolted with the two AK 47 guns.
The pastor has been arrested and is assisting police in their investigations.
