Police in the Western Central Region have arrested five suspects in connection with an armed robbery attack on a Chinese heavy-duty machinery company at Asankrangwa in the Amenfi West Municipality.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the robbery occurred on March 12, 2026, at about 7:20 p.m., when a group of armed men stormed Velotop Co. Ltd, located at Malta, a suburb of Asankrangwa. The suspects, reportedly armed with pump-action guns, a pistol, and machetes, held workers of the company hostage and made away with cash amounting to GHS 200,000.
During the attack, the robbers reportedly handcuffed three Chinese nationals, locked them in a room, and fled the scene in a black Toyota Voxy with registration number GS 576-25.
Police said a patrol team from the Asankrangwa Division quickly responded to the scene after receiving information about the incident. Although the suspects had fled before officers arrived, details of the vehicle were immediately circulated to security checkpoints across the area.
The vehicle was later spotted on the Asankrangwa–Sefwi Bekwai road and intercepted by officers stationed at the Sumpre checkpoint. The suspects reportedly attempted to escape but were chased and apprehended with the assistance of the Asankrangwa patrol team.
Four suspects were initially arrested. They have been identified as Issahaku Ibrahim, 42; Fatau Ali, 25; Yahaya Mumuni, 26; Emmanuel Antwi, 22; and Rashid Abdul, 22. A fifth suspect, Rashid Abdul, was later arrested on March 13, 2026, from his hideout, bringing the total number of arrests to five. Two other suspects managed to escape and are currently being pursued by the police.
A search conducted in the vehicle led to the retrieval of several items believed to have been used in the robbery. These include two pump-action guns, fourteen AA cartridges, a Bruni Mod 84 Cal 9 PAK pistol with a magazine loaded with eight rounds of ammunition, a machete, three mobile phones, two CCTV camera decoders, three pairs of handcuffs, and cash amounting to GHS 198,200.
Investigations further revealed that the suspects are residents of Obuasi who allegedly travelled to Asankrangwa to carry out the robbery. Police say the group was led by an accomplice believed to be a resident of Asankrangwa, who is currently at large. Efforts are underway to apprehend the suspected leader and other accomplices involved in the attack.
The suspects are currently in police custody assisting with investigations and will be arraigned before court in due course. The Western Central Regional Police Command has assured the public of its continued commitment to maintaining law and order and has urged residents to provide credible information to help combat crime in their communities.
