At least two armed robbers were killed in a gunfight with a police squad in Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest city, local police said in a statement on Thursday.
Godwin Ahianyo, the spokesman for the Ashanti Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service, said that the two were part of a gang of four robbers, who had gone on a robbery spree in the suburbs of the city on Wednesday.
“They succeeded in robbing occupants of five houses of undisclosed sums of money, mobile phones, laptops, and other household effects,” Ahianyo said.
He added that the police team was dispatched to stop the robberies after distress calls came into the police public information room.
“The robbers, on seeing the police, opened fire on them. But the police returned fire, hitting two of the robbers, aged 20 and 30.
“But the other two suspected to have sustained gunshot wounds managed to escape,” the spokesman said.
He explained that the team retrieved two loaded handguns, some spent ammunition, and two backpacks containing part of the booty from the scene.
The two bodies have been deposited at the mortuary of the Komfo-Anokye Teaching Hospital for identification and autopsy.
Efforts are underway to apprehend the two who have escaped.
Ahianyo assured the public of the preparedness of the police to safeguard life and property at all times.