Motorbike robber nabbed; AK 47 rifle retrieved

The Western Regional police have vowed to arrest all unscrupulous persons whose modus operandi is to use motorbikes to rob unsuspecting residents around the Sefwi Bekwai area of their valuable items.

As part of efforts to clamp down on the incessant robbery cases in the area, the regional police command has mounted check points at certain places on the Agona-Amenfi-Sefwi Bekwai-Adjakaamanso road, which has led to the arrest of one of the robbers.

The out-going Western Regional Police Commander, DCOP Isaac Alex Quainoo, who revealed this, mentioned the name of the arrested suspect as Paul Baidoo, 22, and said he was apprehended on May 20, 2016.

He asserted that on that fateful day at about 9:30 pm, while police men were on duty at a checkpoint in the Sefwi Bekwai area, the suspect, together with another guy called Paa Nii, were riding a motorbike from Agona-Amenfi towards Sefwi Bekwai.

This was apparently after they had embarked on their nefarious activities and were returning to their base.

DCOP Quainoo said the police spotted the two on the motorbike and signaled them to stop, but sensing danger, Paa Nii jumped from the bike and absconded, but Paul Baidoo, who was riding the vehicle, could not escape and was nabbed.

He said an AK 47 rifle and a locally manufactured short gun were retrieved from him.

According to the out-going commander, upon interrogation, Baidoo could not give any tangible explanation as to how he came by the weapons.

The suspect was subsequently sent to the (police) station where he told the police that he was an okada operator and that he was sending some people from one village to another to look for a guest house to lodge in.

He also told the police that the motorbike, with registration number M-15-2036, belonged to someone.

DCOP Quainoo said the suspect later led the police to the owner of the bike who told the police a different story all together.

The owner of the bike told the police that the suspect was an illegal miner (galamsey operator) and that Baidoo requested for his motorbike for some pressing errands but did not know he used it to rob people.