3 highway robbers busted in Ashanti Region

The Kuntenase police command has arrested three suspected highway robbers in connection with the robbery incident that happened at the intersection between Onwe and Kuntenase in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti region.

The Wednesday, 8 May 2019 robbery attack led to the death of a 21-year-old driver, Prince Yeboah, who was in charge of a Pregio passenger bus with registration number AS 1755-18.

The suspects are Kwame Amponsah, 21, a driver; Yaw Owusu aka Akyenkyena, 28, driver's mate; and Henry Ampofo aka Kwabena Shito, 33, a driver.

Deputy Ashanti regional police commander, DCOP Fred Adu Anim told the media at a press briefing on Monday, 13 May 2019 that police patrol team from Kuntenase had information that there was an ongoing robbery at the Onwe and Kuntenase road intersection.

"The patrol team proceeded to the scene and met the Pregio bus with registration number AS 1755-18 with 14 passengers onboard who were traveling from Asante Bekwai to Atonsu. The victims informed the patrol team that they saw about nine men all wielding weapons signaling the driver to stop but he failed to do so and attempted to reverse the vehicle to escape," DCOP Anim said.

According to Mr Anim, the armed men chased the vehicle and fired gunshots indiscriminately into it. The driver was hit and died behind the wheel and therefore the vehicle landed in a ditch.

He said the robbers robbed the passengers of an unspecified amount of money and mobile phones.

Mr Anim said a search was conducted at the scene and three AAA 32 GMT cartridges were found.

While at the scene, DCOP Anim stated that the patrol team saw a taxi cab with registration number GE 4801-19 coming and the driver on seeing the police attempted to escape but the police pursued the vehicle and got those on board arrested.

He said a search on them revealed an itel mobile phone which belongs to the deceased driver who lost his life in the robbery incident.

All the robbers are in police custody assisting in investigations.