The Manhyia Divisional Police Command has arrested 33 suspected armed robbers including a 16-year-old boy, Dennis Kyeremanteng.
The suspected armed robbers possessed dried leaves believed to be Indian hemp, knives, cutters and other sharp objects.
The Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendant Deborah Addison Campbell said although Dennis Kyeremanteng is a juvenile, his identity has been disclosed because he is an accomplice of a hardened criminal on the police wanted list, Baba Musah.
Baba Musah is been being sought after for various offences including murder and robbery.
“He was sentenced to three months in prison at Kpong Tamale, he however escaped after two months and has since been hiding at Asafo BB were we conducted the raid,” she explained.
The arrests were made when the police made a swoop on the May 20 in some communities in Kumasi.
“They were arrested from various areas within the division; Asafo BB, Adum Railways, Dekyemso, Alaba, Ashtown, and Aboabo Post Office areas,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Police Command had early on placed a GH¢2,000 bounty each on four suspected criminals including one Bonti Killer who allegedly shot and killed Kwame Antwi at Ash Town in Kumasi a fortnight ago.
Briefing newsmen over the various arrests made within the different divisional commands on Tuesday, DCOP Kofi Boakye noted that the trend of minors’ involvement in crime in the region indicates the deep seated nature of crime in the region.
He indicated that “this is the first time I am seeing a thirteen year old armed robber who has been on a robbery expedition involving murder and other issues. This is an indication that armed robbery is deep seated in the region and we need the collaborative effort from all stakeholders in order to curb this menace.”
DCOP Kofi Boakye called for support from the public in identifying criminals and to testify during trials to secure quicker and stiffer sentences for the criminals.
He observed that the communal nature of residents of the Ashanti Region puts people in fear of getting attacked by relatives of criminals who get identified during criminal identification parades.
He noted that the phenomenon was hampering the justice system as it deters people from giving evidence and testimonies for the courts to give commensurate sentences to criminals.
DCOP Kofi Boakye said this was the cause of growing recidivism with criminals coming out after short prison sentences to commit more heinous crimes.
By: Afiba Anyanzua Anyanzu/citifmonline.com/Ghana