Sunyani, Jan. 2, GNA- The Police in Brong Ahafo Region have arrested three members of a gang of suspected armed robbers who allegedly planned to rob a traditional ruler at Ntotroso, near Kenyasi. Briefing the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday, Assistant Superintendent of Police Emmanuel Lartey-Lawson, Regional Crime Officer, said the robbers, Kwaku Bladanga, Issah Mensah, 19 and Abass Musah, 18, all from Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

He said at about 1230 hours on December 31, last year a joint patrol team of police and the military on patrol duties spotted a Nissan Urvan vehicle with registration number GR 7538X belonging to the Opportunities and Industrialisation Company (OIC) on the Sunyani estate road and signalled the driver to stop, but the driver ignored and sped off.

The crime officer said the team gave the vehicle a chase till the occupants abandoned it and took to their heels, but the team arrested Bladanga on whom a locally manufactured pistol was found.

During interrogation Bladanga disclosed that five of them were recruited in Kumasi by one Taller and Alhaji, residents of Sunyani to join them in special operations in Brong Ahafo.

ASP Lartey-Lawson said at Ntotroso the robbers seized the Urvan bus from the OIC office after they subdued the watchman, but they found it difficult to enter the chief's house so abandoned that operation. On their way back to Sunyani the robbers attacked a fuel filling station but because they could not get any money from the owner, Mr Zuruka Nai, 45, they shot him at the groin, right thigh and arm and left him.

ASP Lartey-Lawson said residents who heard the gunshots rushed there and took the fuel dealer to the regional hospital where he is on admission.

The robbers again attacked a provisions store and stole about GH=A2500 and some provisions.

The crime officer said Mensah and Musah were later arrested on board a vehicle at the Kumasi station in Sunyani and appealed to the public to assist the police with information for the arrest of the four other suspects.

Meanwhile Deputy Commissioner of Police James Oppong Boanuh, Regional Police Commander, has advised the general public to be on the alert even though the Christmas festivities was over since the robbers could take them by surprise.

He gave the assurance that the patrol team would continue to operate to guarantee the safety of the people to enable them to go about their duties without any hindrance.