Robbery Attacks: Communities on the Asutuare Junction-Osuwem route demand a police station, patrols

Communities along the Asutuare Junction-Osuwem road have appealed for regular police patrols and a police post to curb robbery attacks in the area.

This follows regular robbery attacks in the communities, with a recent one on the road at Akufokpanya Junction.

On Monday, November 20, at about 2100hrs, one Mohammed Mubarak, a trailer driver whose truck was carrying Banana from Golden Exotic Banana farm to Tema Port, was allegedly attacked and robbed by some armed robbers at the Junction.

Some residents attributed the robbery incidents to lack of police patrol, surveillance and checkpoints on the untarred road and called for the intervention of the Inspector General of Police.

Mr Mubarak, victim of the Monday robbery attack, said when he got to Akufokpanya Junction he slowed down due to a ditch in the middle of the road only to realise that he was under attack.

He said four young men in masks came out of the bush with guns and ordered him to stop.
He said within minutes, four other young men, also in masks, came from behind the truck and the eight pulled him out of the truck, subjecting him to beatings.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), he said they beat him up for about 40 minutes, hitting his chest, waist, knees and nose with the guns.

“The robbers took Gh¢130 from my pocket, they used my phone to borrow Gh¢230 from MTN and transfer it onto their phone and also took Gh¢1, 800 from my bag,” Mr Mubarak said.

They allegedly made away with his phone and wallets containing his Ghana Card, driver’s license, health insurance card and SSNIT card.

The location is said to be known for such incidents.

The entire road from Asutuare Junction to Osuwem is not motorable, making it easy for robbers to strike on the stretch, some residents said.

“We are calling for police barriers, patrols and surveillance. The robbers keep taking people’s phones and monies. We are all in danger. Some time ago, we were attacked, we called the soldiers, they came and rescued us,” an elderly resident said.