A police corporal with the Accra Regional Police Command was last Friday killed while another was severely injured during a gun battle with a suspected hardened armed robber at Asofan, a suburb of Accra.

The policeman, identified as Corporal Francis Aballo, 37 years old, was hit by a bullet from a pump action gun used by the robber during an arrest, while his colleague, Corporal David Anaba sustained gunshot wounds.

Corporal Anaba, according to information, is responding to treatment and would be discharged soon.

This adds to two, police personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty in the month of May alone, after Corporal Frank Essel, a driver with the SWAT Unit of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, was on May 19, 2016 shot dead by a gang of armed robbers who stormed a hotel at Dichemmuoso in Kumasi to rob.

Information gathered indicated that on May 20, 2016, a family of three, who had returned from Canada and were heading to their home, were attacked by a gang of armed robbers led by one Kingsley Owusu.

The victims had all their items seized at gunpoint by the robbers who were trailing them from the airport to their home.

A report was made to the police and during investigations, it came to light that the armed robbery gang used pump action gun to attack the victims.

The robbers took away money, mobile phones and other personal belongings of the victims who had arrived in the country to perform the funeral rites of their departed family member.

On May 27, 2016, police received a tip-off that Kingsley Owusu was hiding in a building at Asofan, near Ofankor, and proceeded to the place with intent to arrest him.

Corporal Francis Aballo, who joined the Service in 2007 and believed to be one of the most hardworking policemen in the region, and his colleague Corporal Anaba were part of the team detailed for that operation.

Around 6:30pm, police personnel got to the place and upon seeing the police, Kingsley Owusu purportedly opened fire on them and in the course of the fire exchanges, a bullet hit Corporal Aballo.

His colleague, Corporal Anaba, was also wounded so he slipped and fell to the ground.

The said armed robber, according to information, managed to escape arrest.

ASP Effia Tengey, the Accra Regional police spokeswoman, who confirmed the story to DAILY GUIDE, said the death of Corporal Aballo had been a big blow to the region.

She said even though the armed robber managed to escape after shooting at the police, efforts were being made to apprehend him.

Items discovered in the armed robber’s room when police finally had access to it included two pump action guns, two locally made pistols, 16 live cartridges, a long knife, three hats, a reflector and a T-shirt.

She appealed to the general public to furnish the police with information about Kingsley Owusu that could lead to his arrest.