Armed robbers attack residents of Patasi
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) -- A gang of armed robbers last Saturday manhandled a section of residents of West Patasi in Kumasi before robbing them of their money and other personal belongings.
A 73-year-old man, Mr Matthew Nsowa of Plot 59 F was battered with a stone during the raid, causing a severe head injury, and had to be rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where he received stitches.
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Madam Akua Forkuo, an 80-year-old woman who resides at Plot 11, was not spared the ordeal, as she was forced at gunpoint to surrender ?260,000, being the only amount left on her for Christmas festivities.
Mr. Samuel Kojo Appau, a businessman who resides at plot 38 F was slapped several times, and kicked in the groin and abdomen for failing to provide his car keys on time to enable the robbers use it to convey his personal belongings they had stolen.
This was after the robbers had forced him at gunpoint to surrender ? 6.8 million being part of his working capital and car sales.His wife who is nursing a six month old baby girl, also had her share as she was robbed of her ?2 million that was to be used for business transaction after Christmas.
The robbers who allegedly wore masks, spent about two hours in the house, subjecting the tenants to severe beating, before ransacking their rooms and collecting every item they came across, including mobile phones, jewellery, television sets, shoes, and clothes among others.
Another tenant, Boy Alenko, a spare parts dealer also lost ?2.5 million as well as Euro 1000 and $600 to the robbers. Narrating his ordeal to the Graphic in an interview, Mr Appau said, around 12.30 am, he was asleep with his family when he suddenly heard a loud noise at the door.
"As soon as I stood up, I saw that the door was ajar and in front of me stood four armed men who ordered me to surrender my mobile phone and all cash with me", he said. He said one of the robbers who was stoutly built, and wearing a turban to cover his face and was armed with an A.K. 47, while the three others who were in masks were holding locally manufactured pistols.
He said he initially surrounded ?4.8 million being part of his working capital to the robbers with the hope that they would leave, but after collecting the money, they asked for more.
According to Mr Appau, when he told the robbers that he had no money in the room again, they slapped, kicked and subjected him to severe beatings and later ransacked his bags where they came across a box containing ?1.8 million being his car sales.
He said, "while the leader of the gang was kicking and slapping me, the turban covering his face went off, but he continued brutalising me, ignoring my plea"."As soon as they saw the money, they told me that I am a liar and threatened to shoot me, but I pleaded with them to spare my life", he noted.
He said after collecting the money, they asked his wife to also surrender the money she had on her. She then brought out ?2 million which included some coins.He said not satisfied with what they had collected, the robbers collected all their personal belongings, including their clothes, shoes, jewelleries, television set, tape recorders and car keys before locking them in a room and proceeded to attack other tenants.
He said some minutes later, the robbers marched the other tenants into their room, locked them, packed all the stolen items in his Opel Astra saloon car with registration number AS 6178 T and left.
He said the operation was over around 3.20 a.m., and after the robbers left, their Landlord whose room could not be forced open by the robbers came to their rescue by opening the door for them.He said it was after their rescue that they were able to lodge a complain at the Sofo Line Police Station.