Wa, Nov. 4, GNA - The Police says the five suspected armed robbers killed in Lambussie, in the Lawra District of the Upper West Region last Friday were rather cattle rustlers.

Briefing the Ghana News Agency at Wa on Thursday, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Baffour Appenteng, Regional Police Crime Officer, said the Policeman, who was killed had been identified as Sergeant John K. Akpakli, while Wule Abdulai was the driver killed along with him.

He gave the names of the lynched suspected cattle rustlers as Wallandis; Iddrisu Alhassan; Iddrisu Belembe and another yet to be identified.

ASP Appenteng said on Friday Wallandis, the leader of the gang, hired a vehicle at Hamile for Iddrisu with a driver and his mate to go and convey cattle from Jirapa.

He said when they arrived at Jirapa, Wallandis asked the driver to pick up three other persons and move to Lambussie.

At Lambussie, ASP Appenteng said the vehicle ran short of fuel so they had to go round looking for fuel to buy.

The Crime Officer said during their search for fuel, one Winie Baloro, who saw them and thought that it was his son, who had returned, got close to the vehicle and discovered that the occupants were Fulanis. Baloro went and reported the presence of the Fulanis to the Police at Lambussie but before they arrived one of them had escaped.

ASP Appenteng said Sergeant Akpakli and two others decided to go with one of the suspects and arrest their leader.

On their way, a man emerged from the bush, stopped the vehicle, shot and killed the Policeman and the driver while the two others escaped into the bush. One of them was shot in the head.

He said the two returned to Lambussie and informed the community about the incident. The people then mobilised and lynched two of the suspects, who were kept in the Police cells.

The Crime Officer said when Policemen from Nandom went to convey the rest of the suspects to Nandom the mob attacked the Police and succeeded in lynching one of them.

Wallandis, who was arrested and sent to Nandom, was also lynched by the mob after they had threatened to burn down the Nandom Police Station.

ASP Appenteng said the Police had not arrested anybody in connection with the mob action. However, two surviving suspects were helping the Police in their investigations.

He said the bodies would be released to their families soon after post mortem at the Wa Regional Hospital.

The mob also burned down the Nissan pick-up vehicle that the suspected cattle rustlers hired for their operation.