THE ASHAIMAN Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent David Eklu, has confirmed the arrest of three young men suspected to be members of a gang of seven armed robbers who, over the last few months, have allegedly terrorized, attacked and robbed residents of Ashaiman and its environments.

The suspects are Dotse Limawu, 24, from Ada Toglogu, a truck pusher, Philip Adabla, 18, from Aflao in the Volta region who claims to be a disc jockey (DJ). The youngest amongst them is 16-year-old Kofi Tetteh, from Somanya Zongo, a tanker driver mate.

According to Mr Eklu, the suspects were arrested at a location around the Ashaiman Newtown refuse dumping site in around 9:30 am when they had just returned from a robbery operation and were about to rest.

Items retrieved from them at the time of their arrest included 2 locally manufactured pistol and six live cartridges, 1 big cutter, a small cutter, 2 sharp knives, 3 pairs of scissors, 4 screw drivers, a pair of pliers, 1 spanner and 7 mobile phones believed to have been robbed from some of the area’s residents.

Other items included two mobile phone chargers, a damaged cylinder lock, 3 mobile phone batteries, 5 wrist watches, 5 necklaces, one pair of ear rings, a cash of GH¢65 and a Voter Identification Card bearing the name of one Ocansey Wisdom in a wallet.

TIP-OFF

Briefing DAILY GUIDE about the arrest, the Divisional Police Commander noted that the police acted on a tip off coupled with intelligence gathered by his men on the suspects adding that the police had monitored the suspects for some time before moving in to arrest the three.

“When we got information about their alleged activities in the area especially around the Newtown and Official Town areas in Ashaiman where a lot of people have been attacked and robbed, we decided the best way was to keep monitoring them.

We quickly moved in and arrested the three when they had just returned from an operation and were in the process of getting some rest,” Mr Eklu pointed out.

He said the group kept their weapons in a school bag so as to prevent people from suspecting them and used them in their robbery activities.

“The bag they were using is the school bag type that is designed in the form of an animal.

They usually concealed their weapons in it making it difficult for one to quickly identify them if he or she ever came across them,” the Ashaiman police boss noted.

Efforts, according to him, were being made to arrest the other members of the group believed to be hiding in neighbouring areas.

An identification parade is also expected to be held by the Divisional Command with a view to finding out how many of the victims of robbery cases reported would be able to identify the suspects.

Mr Eklu warned that his outfit would make Ashaiman an uncomfortable zone for miscreants.

“They should get it straight. We will make life unbearable for them as long as they continue to attack and rob residents of this area and its surroundings.”