ARMED ROBBER DIED IN A SHOOT-OUT (Page 14)

16/05/2008Story: Mary Mensah
A 27-YEAR-OLD suspected armed robber died in a shoot-out with the police at Awoshie during the early hours of Wednesday.
The deceased, identified as Kojo Owusu Tawiah, was hit in the back as he tried to escape and died intantly.
Kojo was said to be driving a taxi cab, with registration number GR 9417 W.
His accomplice, who is yet to be identified, however, managed to escape and the police have mounted an intensive search for his arrest.
According to the Accra Regional Crime Officer, ACP Boi-Bi-Boi, about 11.00 p.m. on May 13, 2008, the complainant, Linda Mereku, a hairdresser, boarded a taxi being driven by the deceased from Nyamekye Junction to Awoshie.
He said on reaching the Odorgonno Senior High School area, the deceased stopped the taxi under the pretext of urinating and entered a small bush near the school gate.
ACP Boi-Bi-Boi said while Linda was waiting patiently for the driver’s return, a young man emerged from the opposite direction. He was armed with a locally-manufactured pistol and he was joined by the deceased, who also wielded a knife.
They ordered Linda to hand over everything in her possession or she would be shot.
He said the two robbed her of a Nokia phone and a purse containing GH¢30, after which they ordered her out of the taxi and sped off.
Soon afterwards, another taxi, with registration number GR 1762 Q, driven by one David Addae appeared on the scene so Linda signalled him to stop and narrated her ordeal to him.
The taxi driver picked her and they chased the robbers towards the Kwashieman Overhead Bridge. On the way, they spotted a patrol team, which was also made pursued the robbers.
When the two robbers realised that the patrol team was hot on their tail, they abandoned the taxi and took to their heels, firing as they did so in order to escape, but the police returned the fire and one of the robbers fell down in the process. However, the one firing the shots managed to escape.
ACP Boi-Bi-Boi said when the taxi was searched, Linda’s purse, a knife, a screw driver and the mobile phone were found, adding that the body of the deceased robber had since been deposited at the Police Hospital mortuary awaiting autopsy.