Criminal gang attack Rastafarians

Eleven suspected members of a criminal gang that had been terrorizing residents in parts of the Kumasi Metropolis have been arrested by the police.

A locally made gun and four cartridges, three machetes, knives, pair of pliers and a screw driver were retrieved from them.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Augustine Gyenning, the Ashanti Regional Commander, gave their names as Ali Ibrahim, Sheriff Ahmed, Mohammed Shemma, Razak Abdulai, Abukari Yussif, Yamil Abdulai, Amidu Haruna and Edward Lenin.

Their leader known only as “Lover Boy” was gunned down as he attempted to stab one of the police officers.

The suspects who are aged between 17 and 21 years have been operating mainly at Aboabo, Asawasi, Sabon-Zongo, Dagomba Line and Dr Mensah near the Kumasi Central Market.

They were picked up at dawn at the Centre for National Culture (CNC) on Saturday, where they had attacked Rastafarians celebrating the 31st anniversary of the death of the legendary reggae musician, Bob Marley.

DCOP Gyenning said for some time now though the suspects have been on the rampage and making life uncomfortable for the people, they had equally been elusive, slipping through arrest anytime they struck.

He said they were however arrested when the police swooped on them as they unleashed terror on the Rastafarians.

The Police Commander said their leader, “Lover Boy”, on seeing the police pulled a locally manufactured gun and a knife and tried to stab one of the policemen but was shot and died later from his wounds.

He said three of the gang members were arrested and they led the police to nab their other colleagues at their Dagomba Line hideout.

DCOP Gyenning also paraded two other suspects, Bismark Gyapong, 18, and Thomas Adu Mensah, 22, arrested for killing a taxi driver and snatching his car.

Together with two others, now on the run, they had engaged the services of Yaw Asafo Adjei to carry them in his taxi from Juaben to Kumasi. Midway through the journey they killed the driver, dumped the body in a manhole at Esereso and fled with the car.

He said investigations led to the arrest of the two and the recovery of the stolen taxi.

DCOP Gyenning assured the people of the determination of the police to rein in the miscreants and called for cooperation and support.**