Armed men rob 14 vehicles, 100 passengers on Asamankese-Akroso road

Suspected armed robbers have attacked more than 100 passengers on the Asamankese-Akyem Akroso road on the outskirts of Koforidua in the Eastern Region and robbed them of cash, mobile phones and other personal effects.

The robbers — numbering about eight and armed with guns and other violent weapons — blocked the road with logs around 3 a.m. and ordered occupants of about 14 vehicles to surrender their money and cell phones to them or face their wrath.

A lady who hid her money in her panties to outwit the robbers was brutally assaulted when they found out.

Robbed cash

A victim of the armed robbery, Mr Joseph Afari Mensah, a prominent cement dealer in Akyem Oda, said the robbers collected between GH¢2,000 and GH¢30,000 from the passengers, most of whom were traders on their way to Accra to purchase items for sale.

He said people who delayed in lying prostrate in the middle of the road as ordered by the robbers were brutalised.

Mr Mensah, who is a Local Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), appealed to the police to provide security on the Oda-Asamankese, Oda-Akyem Osenase and Oda-Agona Swedru roads at night to protect drivers and passengers from armed robbers.

He said he would hold emergency meetings with the various transport unions in Oda to provide fuel and other logistics to the police to conduct night patrols on the roads.

The Oda Divisional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police F. S. Adikah, confirmed the robbery to the Daily Graphic.

He said his outfit was conducting investigations into the matter but was yet to make any arrests.