Police at Achimota in Accra have arrested one Shadrach Boakye, alias Anopa, for his persistent harassment and attacks on commuters, including robbing them of their possessions along the Achimota forest road, and its environs.
The 24-year-old has been on the radar of the police for several months until his arrest over the weekend at Fawuhoyeden in the Ahafo Region.
According to the Achimota District Police Commander, Supt. Christine Srofenu, the suspect, had been successful in his ‘strike, hit-and-run’ efforts, making his apprehension very difficult.
“He has been involved in countless robberies within the Achimota forest enclave since 2019. References could be made in a case reported on 4th June 2020, around 10:30 pm when suspect Shadrach Boakye, popularly known as Anopa, in the company of five others attacked and robbed about four victims of their valuables such as phones, laptops, monies and other items at gunpoint. Police arrested four of the gang members but Anopa, being the leader of the group, managed to escape arrest and went into hiding in his village, somewhere in the Ahafo Region. His accomplices were arraigned and currently undergoing trial. Anopa resurfaced after some few months to continue with his operations,” the police reported.
The police said the suspect again on 30th November 2020 attacked and robbed several road users around the CP Roundabout using knives, sharp implements or a pistol, but they tracked him through one of the victim’s phones and arrested him.
“He was processed for court in both cases. Somewhere this year, he together with other accused persons were granted bail in all the robbery cases by the two circuit courts. Since then the robbery in the forest aggravated,” the police reports.
It said, while on bail, the suspect on Monday 14th June 2021 robbed a car dealer of his bag containing an unspecified amount of money at CP Roundabout and some vehicle documents.
The victim reported the case to the Achimota Police for investigation.
Police say, “the complainant was able to describe the suspect to the police and police highly suspected Anopa to be the culprit. A search was extended to all his hiding places, but he was fast to escape arrest. Police later had information that he was hiding in a village in Ahafo Region. The Achimota police arrested him from his hideout with the support of the Ahafo Regional police command after a message was sent to them.”
The Achimota forest area is one of the areas in Accra that has become noted for incidents of crime with a number of suspects arrested in recent times.
