Police arrest last suspect in Tarkwa highway gold robbery case

Sekondi, May 10, GNA - Yaw Sowu, the last suspect in the Tarkwa highway gold robbery case, was arrested by the Police at Asamankese upon a tip off on Thursday.

Alhaji Hamidu Mahama, Western Regional Police commander told the Ghana News agency in Sekondi that the suspect has been placed in Police custody and would be arraigned soon on charges of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery.

Alhaji Mahama said the other suspects in the case including Police Corporal Frank Addo, Yaw Owusu, the driver of the victim of the robbery, Theophilius Nketia alias Paa Baidoo, Papa Kyei alias Body and Karim Osuman are on trial.

He said Sowu was spotted at Asamankese and was arrested and brought to Sekondi and during interrogation, he admitted being a member of the gang that robbed Ashok Kothari, a licensed gold dealer of 2.3 kilograms of pure gold on the highway at about 0530 hours on June 19 last year. Alhaji Mahama said Kothari was returning to Accra from Tarkwa and when he got to Bonsa, the policeman stopped his car and asked Sowu, the driver, to get down for him to search the vehicle. He said when Sowu got down, four armed men emerged from a nearby bush and together with the policeman robbed the Indian of the gold. Alhaji Mahama said the Indian quickly reported the incident to the Police in Sekondi and was able to identify Corporal Addo who named the other suspects during interrogation.