A middle-aged policeman has been shot and killed in Ablekuma, a suburb of Accra, in a robbery attack on a pick-up vehicle purportedly being used as a bullion van.
The robbery, which happened at the premises of Star Oil Ablekuma (“Fanmilk”) on Thursday, June 22, lasted for about 3 minutes, according to eyewitnesses.
Narrating the incident to pressmen who dashed to the scene after the incident, the eyewitnesses stated that no sooner had the cash-carrying vehicle with registration number (GT 1254-10) maneuvered to the filling station than four armed men on motorbikes invaded the station.
One of the robbers forcibly opened the door where the policeman was and opened fire on him.
The deceased policeman was identified as Amoah, per the name tag on his uniform.
It is unclear why the van made the stop at the police station, but according to a statement from Star Oil Company following the incident, the van was there to collect money from the station for banking.
The driver of the van reportedly escaped unharmed.
Meanwhile, The Ghana Police Service has issued a statement on the incident, assuring that they will surely arrest the perpetrators.
“The Police are on a manhunt to arrest a gang of four robbers who attacked a bullion van at Ablekuma Fanmilk, a suburb of Accra, and shot the police escort, who has unfortunately passed on. Our prayers and thoughts are with the family of our deceased colleague in particular and all personnel of the Police Service in general. We wish to assure the public that we will surely get the robbers arrested to face justice”, the statement read.
POLICE ON MANHUNT FOR ROBBERS WHO ATTACKED A BULLION VAN AT ABLEKUMA IN ACCRA
— Ghana Police Service (@GhPoliceService) June 22, 2023
The Police are on a manhunt to arrest a gang of four robbers who attacked a bullion van at Ablekuma Fanmilk, a suburb of Accra and shot the Police escort who has unfortunately passed on. pic.twitter.com/Ca8pcbZcQl
A similar incident happened two years ago in Jamestown, in the Greater Accra Region, when a police officer, Emmanuel Osei, and a trader, Afua Badu, were attacked by a group of armed robbers. The robbers were reported to have accosted the “bullion” van in a taxi and on a motorcycle and, upon getting to a vantage point, shot the two to death.
Following the Jamestown incident, the Police Administration, in collaboration with the Bank of Ghana and the Ghana Association of Banks, agreed to a July 1, 2023, timeline for the procurement of fit-for-purpose bullion vans for banks.
Accurate