Three suspects facing trial for kidnapping, robbery, assault and causing unlawful have been remanded into prison custody to reappear on Monday, July 8.
The three of a gang of eight were arrested on Sunday at Teye Nkwanta near Okorase in the Akwapim North Municipality of the Eastern Region.
Police report says on Saturday, June 22, the gang of eight armed with cutlasses, axes and other unfamiliar offensive weapons onboard a H100 vehicle attacked fetish priest Nana Hiamankyene’s household.
They broke into his room, assaulted and kidnapped his 34-year-old son, Eric Amponsah, and his 26-year- old driver, Enock Addo.
They also made away with a taxi cab with registration number ER 418-16, a 42-inch television worth GH¢1,800, three sound speakers valued at GH¢1,500 and other valuables as well as cash of GH¢14,000 Ghana.
Upon receipt of information, the police pursued the suspects same day but had no traces.
The complainant said the kidnappers demanded GH¢40,000 ransom from him after a call was made to him before his son and driver would be released.
The driver was forced to call his brother, who could only send GH¢700, but the kidnappers did not release him nor the son of the fetish priest.
They again made a fresh demand of GH¢37,000 but that too was not given by the fetish priest.
On June 23, 2019, the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and the Eastern Regional Criminal Investigations Department (RCID) of the Ghana Police Service upon intelligence moved to Ayisikrom Forest near Nankese to make a rescue operation.
In the operation, the taxi cab, found abandoned in the forest, was retrieved.
The police rescue team employed the assistance of the indigenes to search the forest for the gang of eight following a lead.
At about 3:00pm, the search team encountered the gang of eight with the two victims kidnapped.
The two were rescued and two of the kidnappers were arrested.
The rest managed to escape due to the terrain of the forest.
The third suspect was arrested on Monday, June 24.
The suspects are Kwadwo Asare 22, Fatawu Lukeman, 27, and the third is Felix Tetteh Yaw, 33.
Kwadwo Asare sustained injuries during his arrest and is receiving care at the Koforidua Central Hospital under police guard.
The arrested suspects led the police to an uncompleted building where all the stolen items were retrieved.
The two suspects arrested early on said they were recruited by their leader named as Igboman, who came to Ayisikrom recently.
Suspect Fatawu and Felix Tetteh Yaw are in police custody for investigation.
All exhibits are with the police and retained for investigation.
The Eastern Regional Police Command says it is making strenuous efforts to arrest the five others on the run.
By Yvonne Neequaye|3news.com|Ghana