Three suspected robbers nabbed

Page 14: Daily Graphic, August 12, 2009.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Accra Regional Police Command has arrested three suspected armed robbers, one of whom was released from prison custody in September, last year.
Of the two includes a steel bender, who was among a gang that allegedly robbed a victim at East Legon five months ago and also raped their victim’s wife.
The third suspect was also said to be among a different gang that allegedly robbed some revellers at the Karldorf Restaurant in 2007.
The suspects, Godwin Dagadu, alias Abayeshika, 40; Peter Kwaku Aziagborlu, 28, and Yakubu Iddrisu Danjumah, alias Mark Fish, 27, are currently in custody.
Dagadu, who was released from custody on September 14, 2008 while on remand for a March 1, 2003 robbery charge, was arrested at the Holiday Inn Hotel around 3:30 pm on Monday.
Until his arrest, he had been on the payroll of the company since January, this year.
The Deputy Accra Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, told newsmen in Accra yesterday that police had information that Dagadu was mobilising some people to attack a house at Aworshie.
He said one of the people Dagadu contacted was his cell mate, who was also released from prison last December.
He said the person, identified only as Okai, however, allegedly discussed it with some other persons and expressed the fear of being killed in view of the recent high deaths of armed robbers.
ACP Yohuno said one of those persons notified the police about the plan being hatched by Dagadu, and he was to meet one of the accomplices at the hotel to discuss the way forward.
Unfortunately, he said, the accomplice could not meet Dagadu.
He said the accomplice then informed his other colleagues that he was unsuccessful in meeting Dagadu.
According to him, when the police had that information, a patrol team was despatched to the hotel to effect the arrest of Dagadu, but the team was met with resistance from the hotel authorities, who insisted the police needed a warrant of arrest before effecting his arrest.
ACP Yohuno said while the police were sorting out things with the hotel authorities who had earlier claimed that there was no staff known by the name Godwin Dagadu at the hotel, the suspect attempted to escape through one of the back doors.
He said the police, who had then surrounded the hotel, arrested him.
As regards Peter Kwaku Aziagborlu, ACP Yohuno said the police had information that he and his gang were planning to attack a house at Kakasunanka on the Tema-Afienya road on Friday night.
He said after the police had planted personnel in the house, the gang did not show up.
He said the police, however, had information that the gang was planning to attack another house at East Legon on Saturday, August 9, 2009 to steal a 4x4 Infinity vehicle.
Other members of Peter’s gang, he said, were identified only as Takyi, Kobby, alias Ajaguer, a barber at Ashaiman, Sefadzi, Jackie and Kofi.
ACP Yohuno said Peter and his gang usually met at the barbering shop of Kobby, which is located behind the Ashaiman Police Station to plan their negarious operations.
He said at around 5 pm when different patrol teams from Accra and Tema got to the barbering shop, members of the gang had already left to join different ‘trotro’ vehicles to assemble at a location at East Legon.
He said the police informant then followed Peter to the Ashaiman lorry station monitoring his movements. According to him, the informant, on seeing Peter board a Nima-bound vehicle, notified the station manager of the presence of Peter in the vehicle and requested that the vehicle be delayed for the police to come and arrest him.
ACP Yohuno said not long after that, the police arrived on the scene to effect the arrest of Peter, who at the time, had a locally manufactured pistol and two rounds of ammunition on him.
He said Peter had allegedly confessed to taking part in three robberies, including one at East Legon during which they raped the wife of a prominent lawyer.
In respect of Mark Fish, ACP Yohuno said the suspect was part of a robbery gang that allegedly robbed some revellers at the Karldorf Restaurant on October 15, 2007 during which they stabbed one of their victims and robbed them of £2,000, $1,000, GH¢2,000 and five mobile phones.
He said with the exception of Mark Fish, all the other members of the gang, David Awatey, Martey, alias Apenabeng and Rashid Yakubu, alias Kawawa, who took part in that robbery, were arrested on October 20, 2007 and were currently facing prosecution.
He said Mark Fish was arrested on August 9, 2009 upon a tip-off at Abeka Lapaz.
The Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP), Rose Bio Atinga, appealed to employers to endeavour to do background checks on prospective employees before engaging their services.
She commended the Ashaiman GPRTU for their support in arresting Peter, and urged all other organisations to be security conscious.