Police kill suspected armed robber in Bolga

Police in the Upper East Region on Tuesday killed a suspected armed robber, Stephen Atia, who has been terrorising residents of the Bolgatanga Metropolis.

Atia was gunned down at an undisclosed suburb of Bolgatanga, when he was leading the police to a hideout to apprehend suspected criminals.

The Upper East Regional Police Public Affairs Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) David Fianko-Okere, who confirmed the incident to Ghanaian Times, on Tuesday, said Atia while leading the police to a hideout of criminals, attempted to escape, but was hit by a bullet from police ‘warning shots’.

He said Atia and a syndicate, headed by a wanted armed robber, Asampana Ayine, were responsible for robberies in Bolgatanga and its environs.

ASP Fianko-Okere indicated that the syndicate attacked and robbed owners of motorcycles, and the police barricaded a hotel, where some suspected robbers were reportedly hiding

He said the robbers, including Asampana Ayine, who has been on the police wanted list, upon learning of the police presence at the hotel absconded, but Atia was grabbed.

ASP Fianko-Okyere said Atia was hit by ‘police warning shot’ and pronounced dead at a health facility adding that a female suspect was in the custody of the police, helping with investigations.

FROM SAMUEL AKAPULE, BOLGATANGA