Gunmen yesterday killed a policeman and woman, injured two others, after they attacked a bullion van at Adedenpo, near James Town, Accra, in a daylight robbery.
The robbers reportedly four in number on three motorcycles were said to have broken the padlock on the van with registration GT 8592 W, shot dead the armed policeman escorting the vehicle, made away with his service rifle and bolted with unspecified amount of money.
A mother of four, identified as Efua Badu, was also hit by a stray bullet from the armed robbers, while in her room.
The policeman and were reported to be going for daily sales collection from traders.
The body of the policeman, identified as Constable Emmanuel Osei of the Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) and Badu, have been taken to the police hospital mortuary.
The injured who were reportedly taken to the Korle Bu Teaching hospital were a cashier and an accountant for treatment.
The Head of Public Relations of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge, confirmed the tragedy to the Ghanaian Times, in Accra, yesterday.
She said unidentified armed men not less than three motorcycles crossed the van and fired shots sporadically, resulting in the death of the victims.
DSP Tenge said the driver of the van suffered gunshot wounds and has been taken to the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, but two tellers on board the van escaped unhurt.
She appealed to the public to provide reliable information to the police to apprehend the suspects.
When the Ghanaian Times visited the scene, there were shattered windscreen all over the place and clot of blood on the floor.
Personnel from the Crime Scene Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) were at the scene to access the situation, and relatives of Badu were seen wailing uncontrollably while people gathered discussing the tragedy.
An eyewitness, Emmanuel Allotey, who spoke to the Ghanaian Times, said at 12:00pm the robbers on motorbikes arrived from different directions and attacked the van, shot the driver, assaulted the cashier and accountant, who were on board the vehicle amidst firing of gunshots.
The eyewitness said the residents run helter shelter and others hid under parked vehicles for their lives as the robbers fired indiscriminately.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI
