A Lebanese national has been confirmed dead in a robbery incident in the Tema Industrial area in the Greater Accra Region.
A statement from the Ghana Police Service indicated that the incident happened today [Wednesday] at about 10.00am, “when the victim known as Ahmed Safiadeen, aged 54, who is a cashier of Delta Agro Company went to withdraw an amount of GHC 200,000.00 which was meant for salaries of workers, and other factory expenses of the company from a Bank at the Heavy Industrial Area, Tema.”
[contextly_sidebar id=”yOIteCgi2K2KYGgVcgrOmFa5TBdnCjuN”]The statement, which was signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Tema Regional Command, ASP Joseph Benefo Darkwah, further indicated that “investigations so far revealed that, the victim after the bank transaction was on his way to the office in his Toyota Corolla Saloon car with registration number GN 1174-12, when he was suddenly accosted by four armed men a few meters from his work. ”
“The robbers fired several gunshots into his vehicle and robbed him off the money he had withdrawn and sped off in a four-wheel drive.”
The victim was immediately rushed to the Raphal Medical Centre in Tema but was pronounced dead
on arrival.
The body has since been conveyed to the 37 Military Hospital for preservation and autopsy,” the statement added.
A video available to Citi shows a white car with its side glass dismantled, while the seat is stained with blood.
Scores of people were seen around the car commenting on the robbery attack that had taken place.
Robbers on rampage
This week has seen a number of robbery incidents in the Accra, one on a Forex Bureaux at Spintex and two daylight robberies in the North Kaneshie area.
Two persons are reported to have sustained gunshot wounds from suspected robbers who appeared to be fleeing a crime scene.
Gunfire was first heard in the area around a Latex Foam showroom at North Kaneshie where the robbers had crashed their vehicle. Two persons have since been arrested in connection with the incident.
Also on Tuesday morning, armed men stormed Royal Motors, an automobile company in Accra, making away with the company’s sales.
Eyewitnesses reported that the robbers trailed a bullion van that had entered the Industrial Area premises of the company to collect the company’s sales made the previous day.
Recent arrests
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), David Asante Appeatu, had earlier announced that the police arrested a group of suspected robbers believed to be behind attacks on about 20 forex bureaux in the Spintex road area in just 2018.
The attacks on these Forex Bureaux were growing number of robberies and high-profile criminal activity in the region.
Mobile money transfer points have also been targeted by robbers in recent times.
‘We’re ready to die’
Despite these attacks, the Director of Operations for the Ghana Police Service, DCOP George Akufo Dampare has said although his outfit is logistically deficient, they are ready to put their lives on the line to ensure the safety of every Ghanaian.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Dampare also noted that the support of the citizens will go a long way to help the Police Service combat the increasing rate of crime in the country.
“We want to give them [citizens] the assurance that we will go every length, including losing our lives to make them safe. We understand that we are not there yet, in terms of the full complement of our equipment. We also understand that over the years, government after government has made an attempt to bring us to a particular level in terms of equipment,” he said.
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By: Marian Ansah & Caleb Kudah/citifmonline.com/Ghana