Pay-All offices raided by armed robbers

Kumasi (Ashanti Region), 16 Nov 1998 A gang of armed robbers, last Saturday raided the Ashanti Regional Office of "Asare Original Pay-All Lotto" in Kumasi and made away with about one million cedis and two mobile phones. The robbers also seized and took away the rifle of Police Sergeant O. Attakora, alias Babangida, who was on guard duty at the office after shooting and wounding him in the leg. He is now on admission at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) and is said to be responding to treatment. Major Kofi Kyeremanteng (rtd), the Regional Security Co- ordinator of the lotto company, told GRi in Kumasi that the raid took place at about 0210 hours. He said after firing several rounds of warning shots, the robbers held the workers and lotto sellers who were at the office to submit their returns at bay and took them hostage for more than 15 minutes. The Security Co-ordinator said the terrified workers were made to lie face downwards on the floor, while the robbers ransacked drawers and conducted body checks on them. The robbers also deflated the tyres of six vehicles belonging to the company that were parked outside the office and cut off all communication lines before they escaped. The Security Co-ordinator said the incident has been reported to the Asawasi police. Sources at both the Asawasi police station and the Zongo police divisional headquarters confirmed the incident. The Kumasi Harper Road Shell Filling Station and its adjoining supermarket have been the scene of robberies recently. Asare Pay All is currently under investigation for invading taxes running into billion cedis and current incident will certainly worsen the company's plight.