Robbers shoot another Pastor

One week after armed robbers attacked and wounded the Reverend Bennet Abaka-Wilson of Saltpond Methodist Church, another pastor has been attacked at Adaso, also in the Central region.

The Reverend Robert Dawson-Amoah of Ayifua Anglican Church was shot in the thigh during the raid on his residence. Seven of the robbers were later arrested by the Police in a 12-hour operation.

Those arrested were identified as Kweku Quaye, 28, who shot the pastor, Mohammed Abubakari, 26, a labourer at the Cape Coast Central Police Station, and

Michael Quarshie, 33. The rest are Kwesi Abiram, 19, Anthony Mensah, 18, James Debrah Mensah, 19, and Peter Eshun.

Reports said the robbers used cement blocks to break down the door. They stole ?18 million cedis which was to be used to purchase a 47-acre land for the

church’s citrus plantation project at Dehyia. They also took away some items belonging to the church, including religious ornaments.

Rev Dawson-Amoah and his house-help, Bernard Benyia, who also sustained serious injuries from beatings by the thugs, were treated at the Central Regional

Hospital and discharged.

Sources close to the Cape Coast Police told the ‘Times’ that they received a telephone call at dawn on Saturday that robbers had attacked the residents of Adaso, where the pastor lived. The Police later besieged an abandoned house at Kotokuraba, which was being used as a hideout by the robbers.

Led by the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Muniru Arafat Nuhu, the police managed to arrest three of the suspects and handcuffed them. Surprisingly, the suspects managed to escape in their handcuffs after over-powering the policemen who were with them while the other policemen searched the house to retrieve items, comprising a television set, tape recorder, an equalizer and a bag containing dresses, among others.

A police re-enforcement team, however, arrested the suspects with their handcuffs again at the Third Ridge and Coronation areas upon a tip-off. Thereafter, the team, made up of about 20 policemen, embarked on an intensive search of known hideouts of criminals.

Within 30 minutes, two more of the suspected robbers were arrested and placed in custody at the Central Police Station.

The action attracted a large number of people to the Police Station. While applauding the police for their efforts, the people did not spare the robbers and gave them slaps before they were placed in custody.

They anxiously waited for others to be brought and when two more arrived, they gave them their share of the beatings. The police could not control the large crowd. Although the police team, led by ASP Henry Amankwatia, had no vehicle, they managed to arrest the suspects, using a private vehicle.

The police are still searching for other members of the gang. Rev. Dawson-Amoah told the ‘Times’ earlier at his residence that the robbers who attacked him were about eight.