6 robbers arrested over murder of prophetess, CPP activist
Six persons have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the murder of Prophetess Agnes Koomson, the founder of Grace Saviour Ministry, at Sowutuom in Accra last Thursday.
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They are Yaw Dodzi, 29, alias Awudu; Yusif Seidu, 23, alias Issif; Sumaila Ayittey, 18, alias Conscious; Solomon Lamptey, 25, alias Raja; Richard Avor, 26, and Daniel Nii Lamptey, 20.
The seventh suspect, identified only as Sumaila, is currently on the run.
Dodzi is said to have admitted that he had been involved in many robbery operations, including the one in which Mr Hayford Akrofi, the Chairman of the UK branch of the Convention People’s Party ( CPP), was killed, and mentioned the other suspects as his accomplices.
Briefing journalists on the arrest in Accra yesterday, the Accra Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Christian Tetteh Yohonu, said during interrogation, three of the suspects, Yaw Dodzi, Solomon Lamptey, and Yusif Seidu, admitted embarking on the operation in which the prophetess, Agnes Koomson, was killed.
They have also been cited in the alleged robbery of an MTN office at Kasoa in which a woman was killed.
While in the grip of the police and without the knowledge of his accomplices, Dodzi was asked by the police to lure Yusif to First Light at Kaneshie to embark on a robbery operation.
Yusif immediately came down in the company of Ayittey, fully prepared for the operation. Yusif was arrested, while Ayittey managed to escape initially but was later arrested. Lamptey was also later arrested.
Two pump action guns were found in their possession when they were arrested.
Suspects’ strategy
According to Mr Yohonu, Yusif, who confessed his involvement in robberies to the police, explained their modus operandi.
In his confession, according to the police, Yusif explained that in order to get access to the main building to rob, they normally attacked the boy’s quarters first and held its occupants hostage at gunpoint.
They would then order the “detainees” to inform their parents that they had been taken ill and needed medical attention.
As expected, the parents normally got worried and opened their door, which enabled them to enter the main building to rob and in some cases kill their victims.
Mr Yohonu indicated that a similar trick had been used by the suspects to get access to the CPP’s UK branch chairman who was subsequently killed.
Police advice
Mr Yohonu, therefore, advised the public, particularly parents, to reinforce entrances to their residences and rooms.
He said the public must be security-conscious, especially late in the night, because it was the time armed robbers often operated.
According to him, investigations by the police had established that most armed robbers often boarded commercial buses such as trotros in order to conceal their weapons and, therefore, called on all passengers and drivers to co-operate with the police if vehicles were to be subjected to thorough search.
Mr Yohonu said the investigations also established that villages around Oda and Agona Swedru were becoming safe havens for criminal gangs and therefore called on the local police to be extra-watchful and alert.
Background
Two suspected armed robbers shot dead a prophetess after they had robbed her household at Sowutuom in Accra last week Friday.
Prophetess Agnes Agyei Koomson, 50, the founder of Grace Saviour Ministry, was allegedly shot in the right eye by one of the robbers, while one of the assistants at the church, Mr Prince Oduro, 24, sustained gunshot wounds in the left shoulder, ribs and arm.
It is suspected that the robbers entered the living room through one of the sliding windows which was opened.
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