Obuasi police kill 2 suspected robbers in gun battle

Two suspected robbers were killed by the Obuasi Police Divisional patrol team during a gun battle at Akomfokrom, on Wednesday.

One of the suspects managed to escape during the exchange of gunfire while the deceased are yet to be identified. 

Items retrieved from the deceased were one AK47 rifle with five empty shells, a locally-manufactured gun and an unused BB cartridge.

Also retrieved were one AK47 assault rifle magazine loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition and 20 live BB cartridges concealed in a plastic bag and four mobile handsets. 

Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Godwin Ahianyo, told the Ghanaian  Times that about 5:10 pm, on the day, the police had a tip-off that some suspected armed robbers had been spotted along the Obuasi Mile 9 road about to carrying out an attack.

He said the patrol team proceeded to the area and upon reaching the outskirts of Akomfokrom, near Mile 9, three young men armed with guns emerged from the bush and started firing towards the patrol vehicle. 

The police, in self-defence, he said, returned fire and in the process two of the armed suspects were killed. He said the bodies of the robbers had been deposited at the Obuasi municipal hospital mortuary, while the third accomplice was being sought.

FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI