TEMA POLICE NAB 22SUSPECTED ROBBERS (PAGE 29)

The Tema Regional Police Patrol team arrested 22 suspected robbers at Gorme, near Ada, after they had terrorised and robbed travellers on the Ada -Accra stretch in the early hours of Tuesday August 11, 2009. One of the suspected robbers was however killed during the operation.
One of the suspects was nearly lynched and his condition is said to be critical.
The suspected robbers were numbered more than 30 and they were said to have engaged the police in a fierce battle during which the police was able to arrest 20 of them.
The suspects included juveniles who were allegedly armed with machetes and knives, and tracked down travellers who were returning from the Ada Asafotufiam festival.
Items found on them included a large number of mobile phones, a DVD player , a television set, travelling bags, matchetes and different types of knives.
The Tema Regional Police Commander, ACP Augustine Gyening, told the media that at about 12.30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 11, 2009, the police had information that some criminals were attacking unsuspecting residents, visitors and travellers who were returning form Ada after joining the people to celebrate the Asafotufiam festival that weekend.
He said the police suspected the robbers, whose ages ranged between 11 and 21 years, to be landguards at Dahwenya, Zenu , Gbetsile and their immediate surroundings, who had gone to Gorme on motorbikes and hid in some uncompleted buildings waiting to strike in the night.
ACP Gyening said when the police patrol team got to the area, the robbers in an attempt to escape, fired at the police compelling the police to return fire in self defence. Sensing danger the robbers allegedly ran into the community with the police in close pursuit.
He said when residents of the Gorme community saw the police chasing the suspected robbers they gave them support and succeeded in arresting 13 of them.
ACP Gyening said the remaining nine suspected robbers were rounded up in their various hideouts in the community when the police combed further in the morning.
He gave the assurance that the police would ensure that they protected citizens from criminals.
ACP Gyening warned against the use of landguards because it had contributed to armed robbery as the same people metamorphosed into armed robbers at night to terrorise people.