Armed Robber Arrested

A 30-year-old armed robber, Charles Coffie alias Offoe has been arrested by the Police at Mamfe-Akwapim in the Eastern region for robbing a businessman of over 36 million cedis.The amount together with three pistols and 15 live bullets were also found in a taxicab he boarded.The Eastern Regional Police Commander, Mr Richard Sarfo-Kwarteng, who briefed newsmen at Koforidua on Monday said, on June 14, a Police Taskforce from the Akropong Divisional Police Headquarters, led by Detective lnspector E.K. Ayeribi intercepted a taxicab with registration number GR 2192 L on the Adawso-Mamfe road with five passengers on board.

When the boot of the taxicab was opened for routine check a bag containing over 36 million cedis was found and one of the passengers claimed he was a contractor and was going to pay some of his workers.

Mr Sarfo-Kwarteng said , when the Police wanted to search them they took to their heels leaving the taxi driver, Mr Richard Tetteh, who was arrested.

A further search led to the discovery of the three pistols and bullets in the taxi.

Mr Tetteh told the Police during interrogation that the suspects hired him.

The next morning the Taskforce went back to where the robbers hired the taxicab and Tetteh identified Coffie, who was in another taxicab.

Mr Sarfo-Kwarteng said, Police investigations revealed that Coffie and his group robbed a businessman travelling with three others from Kumasi to Accra of the amount at Asiakwa in the Eastern Region.

They had fired at their Land Rover and ordered them to lie down and bring out all money they had on them.

He said when the Police later contacted the businessman through an address on receipts they found in the bag, he confirmed that he was robbed by some armed robbers in an Opel Astra with registration number AW 2369 Q, which was later found to have broken down at Mamfe.

Meanwhile, the Opel Astra and the Land Rover have been impounded and are at the Eastern Regional Police Headquarters. He said Coffie would soon be put before the court.

Mr Sarfo-Kwarteng commended the Akropong Police for the arrest of the armed robber and stressed that the Police would continue with the exercise until such criminals were eliminated from the society.

He called for public co-operation in this regard to enable the Police discharge their duties effectively and efficiently.