Notorious Kokrobitey Robbers Busted

The Accra Regional police have busted seven suspected armed robbers/land guards said to be very notorious. They are believed to have formed a gang and deterring land owners and other developers from developing their lands.

The suspected land guards were apprehended in an operation Wednesday afternoon.

They are Tetteh Attram aka Tawiah, 41 years old; Omega Agoe, 41; Ofori Joel, 30; Derrick Aryee, 20; Godwin Amegashie, 47; Joseph Okaijah, 30 and Aryee Boye, 21.

Currently, they are in the custody of the police assisting in investigations.

Briefing the media, the Accra Regional Police Commander, DCOP George Alex Mensah, said his outfit gathered intelligence about the activities of the land guards in the area after one person had reportedly been shot dead while another was butchered a month ago by supposed land guards in a clash over a piece of land.

At about 2:00 pm on Wednesday, the police again gathered intelligence that two groups allegedly engaging in land guards activities had clashed over a piece of land at Kokrobitey.

A police patrol team was immediately dispatched to the area where they swooped on the suspects.

The seven persons were immediately apprehended but others managed to escape into nearby bushes, leaving behind their motorbikes.

Those arrested were immediately sent to the Weija District Police Command for safe keeping while investigations continue.

According to DCOP George Alex Mensah, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects, who belong to two groups of land guards, had gone to the area to claim what they termws ‘digging fee” from a developer.

The ‘digging fee,’ which they claimed is GH¢1,500, is an amount they forcefully collect from a person who has lawfully acquired the land and is about developing it, hence the clash.

Four of the suspected land guards were wounded and in all, sixteen motorbikes and a Ford pickup vehicle with registration number GR 6949 Z were impounded.

The wounded suspects were taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention, and would be arraigned before court today.

DCOP George Mensah warned individuals sponsoring the activities of land guards to desist from the act or would be prosecuted when caught.