http://bit.ly/2g7eMlJ
The Tema Regional Police Command has uncovered a shooting range that it suspects to be the training ground for suspected armed robbers.
This was exposed after the police shot dead a suspected armed robber and arrested two others who had engaged a police patrol team in a shoot-out at the Ramsar Site, Tema Community Three.
The one who was shot dead and his accomplices were alleged to have set up the improvised shooting range in a swampy area where they were practising how to shoot.
The two were later arrested based on intelligence received by the police.
During a search conducted at the improvised shooting range, the police found one shot gun (Trust Super Halcon) and 72 triple “A” empty cartridges and several empty plastic bottles that were used as targets by the suspects.
An executive member of the ‘One Accord’ Residents Association at Tema Community Five (Church Village) has, however, disputed the claims by the police that the deceased and suspects arrested were armed robbers.
Ms Nana Ayea, secretary of the association, said the deceased was a taxi driver and former resident of the area who was attending to the call of nature but was shot by the police.
Briefing
Briefing the media in Tema yesterday, the Tema Regional Police command Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ms Juliana Obeng, said at about 4 p.m. last Saturday, the Command received intelligence that a group of five persons had set up an improvised shooting range in the middle of the Ramsar Site where they were learning how to shoot.
She said a police patrol team was dispatched to the area but the suspects were first to open fire upon seeing the police, thus compelling the peace officers to return fire.
Ms Obeng said in the process, one of the robbers was killed. Two of his accomplices were arrested while two others escaped. The identities of the suspects are yet to be released by the police.
Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has been deposited at the Police Hospital morgue for autopsy.
Investigations
ASP Obeng said preliminary interrogation of those arrested revealed that the gang had earlier carried out a robbery operation on the premises of Santeo Steel Limited, a steal manufacturing company in the Tema Industrial Area, last Saturday morning.
They made away with some items including an unspecified amount of money, mobile phones, iPads and laptops.
ASP Obeng appealed to the general public to assist the police to apprehend the other two suspects.
Reaction
Reacting to the claims, Ms Ayea said at about 2 p.m. last Saturday, she saw a team of policemen on an operation in the neighbourhood amidst sporadic sounds of gunshots.
She later learnt that someone whose name she gave only as Kwame had been shot in the process.
According to her, she was told Kwame who had just returned from a funeral at Klaggon was socialising with some of his friends at a joint where he subsequently excused himself to attend to the call of nature in the bush only to be shot by the police.
The chairman of the association, Mr Edward Papa Akorful, said as residents they did not condone crime and had always reported activities of criminals in the neighbourhood to the police.
He also denied knowledge of the presence of a makeshift shooting range in the neighbourhood.
His Secretary, Nana Akyea, and another executive member of the association, Mr Raph Haruna, however, confirmed that occasionally they heard some shots in the distance which they usually considered as fire crackers.
No comments:
Post a Comment