A joint police-military patrol team has killed a suspected robber described by police and residents in Kumasi as notorious and most wanted ‘terror’ in Kumasi.

Awudu Karim’s death brings the number of suspected robbers killed in the Ashanti Region this year to about twenty.

Barely a week ago, eight robbers were killed in a gun battle with police at Anwia Nkwanta on the Kumasi-Obuasi road.

The deceased, believed to be in his late twenties had allegedly been linked to a series of armed robberies and for raping most of his female victims.

He is an ex-convict who escaped from police custody.

Many people, mostly women, have been trooping to the Regional Police Command headquarters to give police more information following news of his killing.

Some confirmed falling victim to his alleged sexual attacks.

Regional Commander DCOP Patrick Timbilla has said the deceased had been on police wanted list for a long time.

He recounted recent robbery expeditions masterminded by the deceased, saying a group of young men he was believed to be controlling robbed at a party last Friday at Asokwa residential area.

The robbers also struck the next day at Atonsu-Kuwait where they made away with 4 DVD players, 150 Ghana cedis cash and other items. A police officer had seen Awudu hovering around the area but did not suspect foul-play.

One of the suspects identified as Francis Gyimah, aged 17, who was arrested mentioned Awudu as the leader of the gang.

Between 10pm and 11pm Tuesday night, the same police officer spotted him at the Tamale Station at Aboabo, and called for police-military re-enforcement for his arrest.

DCOP Timbilla said Awudu overpowered a soldier and pulled a gun at him when the military officer attempted to arrest him. Police then opened fire.

A search on the deceased revealed a locally made pistol, live cartridges, mobile phones one of which was identified by a victim as stolen.

Six out of the about twenty robbers killed by the Ashanti Regional Police Command were killed in the first quarter of this year. But the number has increased recently with human right activists disagreeing with the police on their methods. They argue that killing armed robbers is not in the law books of Ghana.

Meanwhile, two other suspects believed to be members of Awudu’s gang have been arrested. The unidentified suspected robbers are to help the police arrest four other gang members.



Story and pictures by Ohemeng Tawiah/Nhyira FM/Ghana