TV3’s Peter Quao Adattor reports that about five victims suffered gunshot and machete wounds during the robbery.
About three years ago, Ngleshie Amanfrom and its environs, a fast developing community within the Ga South Municipality, suffered constant robbery attacks.
But the menace fizzled out after police increased patrols in the area. About two months ago, the robberies returned with more deadly operations.
A gang of three young men believed to be in their early twenties, descended on community robbing and injuring residents.
At least eight households were attacked and robbed in the early hours of Saturday August 15, between 1.30 and 3.00am.
The robbers, armed with locally made pistols, machetes and knives, broke into their victims’ houses with the aid of cement blocks and demanded monies and other valuables.
Amidst beatings, the robbers stabbed some of their victims, shot some and slashed others with machetes in the head.
“Around 2:00am we heard the gunshots and in five minutes they broke into our door with cement blocks. As they attempted breaking into our door we also tried to resist and they fired some warning shots so I went to hide somewhere. They were three of them and they were speaking Hausa. This is the first time we in particular experienced this robbery. We were three in the room so they demanded money from my husband and took the money he had and also went away with our phones” a woman narrated.
One victim, a male, had his eyes affected after a shot was fired through his wall and the debris came into contact with his eyes.
Another male victim said ” Two of them came to me with a gun and a cutlass and they demanded that I give them my money but I said I didn’t have money so they took my two phones. One of them hit me with the back of a cutlass. But before they left; they shot at one man who was closer to me”.
A female victim said ” I heard a gunshot and the person entered my room and said I should keep quiet else he will kill me. So he brought out a gun and said he will break my leg. He demanded money and I said I have no money. After we said we didn’t have money, they eventually left the room and came back again to drink water before they left. They were three robbers and only one person had a mask on”.
A fourteen year old girl was also stabbed in the thighs thrice by the robbers who bolted with her mother’s jewelry box and cash of 300 cedis.
“They came around 1:30am and I wasn’t around so they took virtually everything I have in my room such as jewellery and the likes. This is the second time they have come to my house. My daughter was stabbed three times on the thighs because she told them that her father is not around.
The robbers who spoke Hausa throughout their operation, covered about eight houses before finally leaving the area.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, Dcop Christian Tetteh Yohuno, said the bad road in the area also makes it almost impossible for the police to respond to distress calls on time. He also blamed the development on the failure of the community to support policing efforts.
“We advised all the communities to endeavor to contribute to put up a police post so that we will bring the men looking at the distance from one police station to the other. We came here and they assured us this would be done about two years ago. I followed up twice on this issue. Look at the road network in the area and look at the distance too; so we realized that because of the fast expansion of the area, there is the need to bring the police closer to where they live. So we want people in the community to support the community to at least increase police posts as the areas are expanding. Government alone cannot do it and the police doesn’t have the resources to put up the posts. We can only bring men to fill it. We want the MP and the MCE to help the community in this regard. We have brought four patrol teams here and two of our cars have broken down because of the bad road” he lamented.
The police has however intensified investigations into the robbery and urged residents to assist with information that could lead to the arrest of the robbers.
By:3news.com/Ghana