Robbery Attempt At Fuel Station Foiled

A robbery attempt at the Star Oil Filling Station at Apenkwa in Accra last Sunday was foiled by the police. Three of the suspected robbers were picked up in the process at Sue's Inn Hotel near the filling station. They included the wife of another suspected armed robber who was arrested earlier last Friday. They are Richardson Owusu, said to be a dealer in stolen items; Eddy, a police informant, and Nana Ama, the wife of the suspected robber who was arrested at Abofu, near Achimota, last Friday. The Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Christian Yohuno, confirmed to the Daily Graphic Monday that an informant had notified his outfit that an armed robbery gang was planning to attack the filling station either at 3 p.m. on Sunday when the last matches of the Premier League would be played or 9 a.m. Monday. He said police officers decided to go to the filling station to alert the manager that the station had been put on �Red Alert� and to discuss security issues with him. He said in the course of discussing the security arrangements, the police had information that the suspected robbers had assembled at a nearby hotel. ACP Yohuno said the Police Information Room was called for assistance and just as the police team left the station manager's office, they saw a policeman wielding an A.K 47 within the vicinity and immediately signalled him to standby for an exercise. He said the police moved to the rendezvous of the robbers and upon seeing the police; Richardson and Eddy attempted to speed off on a motorbike but they were arrested by some persons close by, while Nana Ama was arrested later. He said during interrogation, Richardson allegedly confessed to always receiving and selling the stolen items brought to him by the now wanted robber, identified only as Aryeetey. He said the suspects, however, denied that they were planning to attack the filling station but explained that they were trying to mobilise funds to seek the release of Nana Ama's husband, Nicholas Wuda, a1lias Paapa, 29, who was arrested last Friday along with two others. ACP Yohuno said a search in Richardson's room led to the retrieval of a laptop. Richardson later led the police to the houses of two other suspects, Kennedy Kofi Osei and Totti, where a DVD player, GH�4,700, as well as a laptop, were retrieved. With regard to Wuda's arrest last Friday, ACP Yohuno said the police received information that four persons were sharing money and other items suspected to have been stolen. He said personnel were, therefore, mobilised to Abofu, near Achimota, where Wuda was arrested. He said when Wuda was interrogated, he allegedly admitted to leading a gang to rob a white man at the vicinity of the Kotoka Airport where he claimed he and his gang operated. ACP Yohuno said Wuda led the police to arrest Kwasi Ansah, alias Nima Yaro, 25, at Achimota, although he stays at Nii Boi Town, where a 32-inch LCD and other items were retrieved. He said while at the police station, Seidu Mamoud, who claimed to be a brother of Ansah's, showed up seeking for bail for Ansah. According to the police boss, the police found $200 on Seidu and upon interrogation he allegedly admitted to being part of the Airport robbery operations. ACP Yohuno said when the police went to search Mamoud's room, CD players, a plasma TV and a DVD player were retrieved.