10 suspected armed robbers busted in Bolgatanga

Ten suspected armed robbers, including their accomplices, have been busted in Bolgatanga through the collaboration of a combined team of the Upper East Regional Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service and their counterparts from Prampram in the Greater Accra Region.

The suspects include a 27-year-old Otu Laryea Navis; Stephen Botey, 29; Adongbire Asampana, 24; Nana Yaw aka Pastor, 43, and the leader of the gang Mutaka Mohammed, 29, and his Wife. The rest who are Nigerians are 36-year-old Rufai Umoru, Israel Valentine Edo, 43, and Mike Osuji 48.

Briefing the media at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region on Monday, December 8, this year, the Upper East Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Mr Redeemer Vincent Dedjoe, said on November 20, 2017, five men armed with pistols, a short gun, a hammer, and machetes attacked an orphanage at New Ningo.

He indicated that they succeeded in robbing the victims of an unspecified amount of foreign and local currencies, 3 Nokia Phones, iPhones, Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy Duos, Infinix Note pad, Techno Tablet, Techno T349 and HP Laptop and its charger.

He said a report was made at the Prampram Police station, following the robbery.

DCOP Dedjoe said attempts were made to break into one of the iPhones by the robbers which prompted the owner through the Gmail account and the Police were able to track and trace the phone to Circle in Accra where two suspects were arrested.

He said through investigations it was revealed someone brought it from Bolgatanga to be decoded and two officers accompanied the suspects to Bolgatanga.

He explained that with the collaboration of the Upper East Criminal Investigations Department, Rufai Umoru, Otu Laryea Nevis, Stephen Botey, Adongbire Asampana and Mutaka Mohammed and his wife were arrested at their hideout at Gambibgo a suburb of Bolgatanga.

DCOP Dedjoe said Mutaka Mohammed escaped arrest but the Police subsequently had information that he was at the Bolgatanga-Tamale bus terminal trying to abscond to Tamale and they proceeded to arrest him.

He said when he was arrested, 3 foreign pistols, 4 magazines with their ammunition, 86 pieces of 9mm ammunition, one short locally manufactured gun and 12BB cartridges were found on him.

The Regional Commander said the suspect mentioned Isreal Valentine Edo, Nana Yaw and Mike Osuji as the persons who asked him to bring the weapons to assist them rob a gold businessman at the Gbani mining site in the Talensi District and led them to arrest the suspects who were lodging at the Kings and Queens hotel at Bukere a suburb of Bolgatanga.

DCOP Dedjoe said during interrogation Israel Valentine also mentioned Musah Issah as his informant who told him there was a businessman who has gold and money in his house and wanted him to organise robbers to rob him and when Issah was arrested he also mentioned Daniel Adosi as the one who introduced Israel Valentine to him.

He said all the suspects were subsequently arrested and they are currently in police custody assisting in investigations.

In a related development, DCOP Dedjoe said on January 6, 2018, Aduku Wahabu Awinitit aka Rastaman who was wanted in connection with a series of robberies committed in Ashaiman and its environs and relocated to the Upper East Region was arrested at a hotel in Binaba in the Bawku West District of the Upper East and would be handed over to the Ashaiman Police.