Residents of Ablekuma, a suburb of Accra, say they are in shock over the Rambo-style robbery attack on a bullion van that led to the death of a young police officer.
The police officer, who was an escort sat in the front passenger seat where he was shot several times at close range on Thursday, June 22, as captured by CCTV cameras.
Some residents who were at the scene of the crime after the robbers had bolted, told Joynews they’re still terrified by the incident.
“I heard the sound of the gunshots, but I didn’t know where it was coming from. So, it was after I saw him cocking his gun, that was when I realized that the murderer was right in front of me.
“I just had to run, after 20 seconds I heard gunshots, it wasn’t one, it wasn’t five times, I can’t count.”
Another terrified resident who heard the gunshots hinted at relocating from the community.
“I was sitting, and I heard gunshots so I woke up and I saw that the armed robbers were at the fuel station. I saw my friend holding a camera trying to record and I told him robbers are around so he should go inside.”
“I saw one of the robbers coming to my direction still firing shots, I’m very terrified. If I get money I’ll leave here,” he indicated.
The police have declared a manhunt for the four armed robbers.
The attack has triggered questions about banks’ compliance with Bank of Ghana’s directive to acquire standard armoured-plated bullion vans for their operations.
This was after a similar bullion van robbery attack that led to the death of another young police officer at Jamestown in Accra in June 2021.
In a statement dated October 15, 2020, banks and specialized deposit institutions were to replace soft-skinned vans by July 1, 2023.
The standards specified by the Bank of Ghana (BoG) are the European Standard B6 Ballistic protection for passenger compartment and European Standard B4 for Cargo compartment.
The BoG indicated that after 1st July in that year, no soft-skinned vans will be allowed in to any of its premises nationwide.
In September 2022, the President of the Ghana Association of Banks, John Awuah, said they had acquired 60 armoured bullion vans for cash operations.
From the look of things, however, it appears the situation has not changed completely for the better.