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The Upper East Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Redeemer Vincent Dedjo, has warned criminals from other Regions who seek refuge there to stay away as the Region is not a safe sanctuary for them.

The Commander issued the warning at a News conference in Bolgatanga on Monday, to brief the media about ten suspected armed robbers who were arrested at their hideout at Gambibgo, a community in the Bolgatanga Municipality.

DCOP Dedjo said on November 20, 2017 at about 0100 hours, five men, armed with pistols, a short gun, hammer and machetes attacked an orphanage at New Ningo, and succeeded in robbing victims of an unspecified amount of foreign and local currencies, and six different types of mobile phones including iPhones, after which they subjected some of the victims to severe beating.

He said the incident was reported to the Prampram Police, adding, “attempts to break into one of the iPhones by the robbers sent a number to the owner through his Gmail account. Police took the phone number, tracked and traced the phone to Circle a suburb of Accra and arrested two suspects”.

He said thorough investigations revealed that someone sent the phone to be decoded and was traced to Bolgatanga and through effective collaboration between the Regional Criminal Investigations Department (RCID) and two Police Officers from Prampram, the five suspects who participated in the act were arrested and three foreign pistols, one short gun and ammunition were retrieved from them.

DCOP Dedjo said a joint operation was further conducted by the Upper East Police Command and that of Prampram which led to the arrest of suspects; Rufai Umoro, a Nigerian aged 36, Otu Laryea Nevis aged 27, Stephen Botey aged 29 and Adongbire Asampana aged 24 and the wife of one suspect Mutaka Mohammed who is the gang leader but managed to escape.

He was however later arrested upon a tip off at the Tamale lorry station in Bolgatanga, where he had gone to travel to Tamale.

The Commander disclosed that three foreign pistols and four magazines with their ammunition, 86 pieces of 9mm ammunition, one short local gun and 12BB cartridges were found on him upon a search.

He said upon further search at their hideout at Gambibgo, three Nokia phones, Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy Duos, Infinix Note, Tecno tablet, Tecno T349 and HP laptop and its charger were retrieved.

DCOP Dedjo said on interrogation, suspect Mohammed mentioned suspects Israel Valentine Edoh alias Nana Yaw, also known as Pastor Valentine, aged 43 and Mike Osuji aged 48 both Nigerians as persons who asked him to bring weapons to assist them rob a gold businessman at Gbani Mining Site in the Talensi District.

He led the police team to a hotel at Bukere, a suburb of Bolgatanga where they were arrested. Suspect Edoh also mentioned suspect Musah Issah as his informant who told him that there was a businessman who had gold and money in his house and wanted him (Edoh) to organize robbers to rob him.

“The said Musah Issah also mentioned suspect Daniel Adosi alias Pastor Dan aged 52 as the one who introduced suspect Israel Valentine Edoh to him. Subsequently suspect Daniel Adosi was arrested.” The Commander said, and added that all suspects were in Police custody assisting investigation.

In another development, DCOP Dedjo said one Aduku Wahabu Awinitit, alias Bullet, with braided hair who is declared wanted by the Ashaiman Police for series of robberies committed in Ashaiman and its environs, was picked up at a hotel at Binaba in the Bawku West District when he relocated to the Region. He would be handed over to Ashaiman police, he added.