General News of Thursday, 23 December 1999

Source: null

Two security guards murdered

From Joe Isaac Haizel, Takoradi

TWO security guards of Ghana Post at Takoradi were yesterday killed by suspected armed robbers on the company?s premises. The deceased, Peter Obeng, 45 years and J.K. Yalley, 48 years were severely beaten with crow-bars and pestles.

Obeng was gagged and found in a pool of blood with a concrete slab lying on him whilst Yalley was found strangled with a rope and his arms and legs tied with his shoe lace.

No amount of money or property have been declared lost by officials of Ghana Post, but the EMS sorting room and most of the offices of the company including that of the regional director had been broken into and ransacked. An attempt by the robbers to force open the safe in the directors office with a hacksaw blade proved futile.

Mr. D.K. Brefo, the regional director told newsmen that he kept a large amount of money in the safe the day before the incident. According to him, he disbursed some of the money and removed the rest before he left the office that day . Mr. Brefo said it is too early to declare whether the robbers stole any money or property.

The Western Regional Crime Officer, Mr. Mensah Gray said he suspected that the guards were asleep when the robbers struck. Assistant Superintendent of Police in-charge of Railways and Ports Unit, Mr. Isaac Kwesi Buabeng said investigations are underway. He assured the public that the police would intensify efforts to bring the suspects to book.

At the time of filing this report, the offices of the company had been locked pending the completion of initial police investigations.