Our Banks Need Bullion Vans Not These 'Pick-Ups' - Kwesi Pratt Supports IGP's Call For Armoured Vans

Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt has supported the call by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to bankers to provide armoured bullion vehicles for transporting money.

The IGP, James Oppong-Boanuh has reminded the Association of Bankers to provide fortified armoured vehicles for carting currencies by the close of June, 2021 or the Police will withdraw its officers from escort duties.

The call follows Monday morning’s armed robbery attack on a bullion van at Adedenkpo, a suburb of James Town in Accra, that resulted in the death of a Police man and a trader.

Armed robbers on motorbikes crossed the van and shot sporadically at the Police officer, Emmanuel Osei and the driver killing the Police officer instantly while the latter survived with gunshot wounds.

Two other ladies on the van escaped unhurt.

A statement issued by the Police Service Monday evening said the IGP has directed the Director-General of the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to take over investigation into the attack.

The account of the Police read; “Preliminary investigation shows that unidentified armed men on a number of motorbikes crossed the bullion van which was on a pay/collection errand at about 1100 hours and shot at the police officer who was on escort duty on the van, killing him instantly. The armed men also fired sporadically in the air and on the driver, who sustained gunshot wounds and is responding to treatment."

"A hawker was also killed by the armed men when one of two ladies on the bullion van stepped out of the van and run towards the deceased seller's direction. Both ladies on the van, tellers of Mon-tran escaped unhurt but were sent to the hospital to be treated for trauma. Crime scene experts have already visited the scene of crime and are going through the necessary procedures.”

The Police have classified the killing of the Policeman as murder.

They have asked any person with information on the incident to contact the nearest Police station or call the investigative team on 0262122086, 0244994564 or 0244280001 or on Toll Free Police Emergency Numbers 191 or 18555.

Reacting to the robbery incident, Kwesi Pratt bemoaned the kind of bullion vans used by banks in the nation.

He expressed worry over the risk involved in using pickup vans to cart currencies, wondering why the banks are not purchasing armoured vans to secure the lives of those in the vans.

"The lack of proper van plays a part in encouraging the robbers to do what they do," he said, agreeing with the IGP that all banks must by the end of June this year have armoured vans.

He also charged the IGP to ensure all Police personnel on operation or patrol are well-secured by wearing bulletproof vests and using other security equipment to guard themselves against any attacks.

''Do you remember the government recently promised us that every Police who will go on operation will have a bulletproof vest? Where did it go? We see the Police all the time without bulletproof vest.''

Mr. Pratt made these submissions on Tuesday edition of Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo'.