Through sustained intelligence operations over a period of six months, the Ghana Police Service has successfully dismantled a notorious criminal syndicate who have been behind several robberies in various regions of the country.
The syndicate, believed to be made up of about 15 persons, have carried out mainly bank robberies in the Ahafo, Western, Central, Eastern and Ashanti region in addition to other robberies.
Suspects
So far, 10 members of the syndicate have been arrested and are in police custody, three (3) other suspects were shot dead following an exchange of fire with the police during the operation, and efforts are ongoing to get the remaining suspects arrested.
The suspects are: Akwesi Agyei alias Cobra; Ibrahim Alhassan; Samuel Appiah alias Akwesi Mugu; Francis Acquah alias Preman; David Obuobi alias Wasty; Martin Akansina alias One Billion; Nana Yaw Frimpong alias Mystical; Kojo Atingawo alias Borga; Samuel Akwasi Gyan; Stephen Sey; Kwaku Peprah alias X5 (deceased); Boozin (deceased); Kwabena Owusu Ansah (at large) and Albert (at large).
Banks Affected
Banks that were attacked by this criminal syndicate include:
Adansi Rural Bank/ Fomena: 10/04/2025
Lower Pra Rural Bank/Takoradi Inchaban: 24/04/2025
Asokore Rural Bank/Asokwa: 18/05/2025
Ahafo Kukom Rural Community Bank/ Branch: 30/05/2025
Nnwabiagya Rural Bank/Offinso: 10/07/2025
Bosomtwi Rural Bank/Suntreso: 18/07/2025
Kakum Rural Bank/ Elmina: 04/08/2025
MRB Bank/Winneba: 15/08/2025
South Birim Rural Bank/Akim Asene: 16/08/2025
Ecobank Ahafo Kenyasi Branch: 08/09/2025
St. Martin De Pores Co-Op Credit Union/Atonsu Monaco: 14/09/2025
Brief Facts of Robberies
i. On 10th April 2025 at about 1:00am this gang, attacked and robbed the Adansi Rural Bank at Fomena and made away with an undisclosed amount of money and two pump action guns belonging to the security men on duty.
The gang scaled the bank wall, tied up the security men, and cut the security door with an industrial electric cutting machine before gaining access in to the bank’s vault.
ii. On 23rd April 2025 at 4:00am the same gang armed with pump action guns attacked and robbed the Lower Pra Rural bank at Takoradi Inchaban. The robbers broke into the bank and used an industrial electric cutter to cut the bank’s vault and made away with the money in the vault.
iii. On 18th May 2025 about 1:45am, the same group armed with pump action guns robbed the Asokore Rural Bank, at Wood Village Kumasi and made away with cash from the bank’s vault and also bolted with one (1) pump action gun with six AAA live ammunition and cash the sum of GHC 2,060.00 belonging to the security guard on duty, who they tied up and abandoned.
iv. On 30th May 2025 the same men armed with three pump action guns broke into the Ahafo Community Bank at Kukuom, after having held the security man captive and tying his hands behind his back.
The robbers broke into the bank vault with an electric cutting machine and made away with the cash.
v. On 10th July 2025, these robbers armed with pump action guns, stormed the Nnwabiagya Rural Bank at Offinso, took the security guard hostage, tied his legs and hands at the back. They broke into the banking hall but could not get access into the vault. They then bolted with 11 AAA live ammunition.
vi. On 18th July 2025, same gang broke into the Bosomtwe Rural Bank at Edwenase, Kumasi. However, the swift response of the Police, foiled their plans and they bolted from the bank premises.
vii. On 4th August 2025 the same gang armed with pump action guns besieged the Kakum Rural bank premises, accosted the security guards including the Police officer on duty, tied them up and proceeded to the banking hall. They used an electric cutter to cut open the vault and made away with the money.
viii. On 15th August 2025, at about 1:00am a gang armed with Pump action guns broke into the MRB bank premises off the Winneba- Swedru road, held some bank staff residing closer to the bank hall hostage and attempted to rob the bank.
Their attempt to cut open the vault as usual failed, due to the prompt response of Police Patrol team. However, they managed to escape after firing shots at the Police Patrol team, meanwhile they left behind one pump action gun loaded with 8 cartridges and one (1) industrial electric cutter.
ix. On 16th August 2025 at 1:45am the same gang proceeded to Akim Asene where they robbed the South Birim Rural Bank. Armed with pump action guns, they entered the bank premises, held the security man hostage and later bolted with cash from the bank.
x. On 25th August 2025 the gang again armed with three pump action guns stormed Wenchi NIB bank, tied the security man and held him hostage. They broke into the bank vault and made away with the money.
xi. On 8th September 2025, the gang again armed with three (3) pump action guns and one (1) Ak-47 rifle, stormed the Ecobank, Kenyasi premises, and due to their large number held the two Police officers on duty hostage at gunpoint and seized their two AK-47 rifles loaded with ammunition, together with three mobile phones.
Their attempt to cut open the main vault failed due to faulty electric industrial cutter machine. They then bolted with the Two (2) Service AK-47 rifles.
xii. On Sunday 14th September 2025, at 3:30am the same gang armed with pump action guns and Three (3) AK-47 rifles broke into St. Martin Depores Cooperative Credit Union at Atonsu Monaco, held the security man and his wife hostage and robbed the bank of an amount of money.
Police on arrival at the scene, retrieved one AK-47 rifle magazine loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition.
Exhibits Recovered
The police have also retrieved the following exhibits from the suspects:
Three (3) AK-47 assault rifles
One (1) single barrel gun with one AAA ammunition
Seven (7) pump action guns and 96 rounds of AAA ammunition
Three (3) Bruni pistols with 40 rounds of ammunition
One (1) M&P pistol with 4 rounds of ammunition
Cash sum of GH¢18,845.00, 104USD, 190 Liberian Dollars, 5,800 Niara, 31,000 CFA and quantity of assorted GH¢ coins
Six (6) vehicles
four (4) m/bikes
Assorted mobile phones and jewelries
It is worth noting that, one of the AK-47 rifles marked GHGP/ASH/TEPA/TP/B-1523, retrieved from this gang, was a Police service weapon issued to No 48034 G/Cpl. Francis Adu Yaw then at Tepa Police District Headquarters, who was sadly attacked by armed robbers and killed on the Bibiani-Goaso Highway on 29th November 2024 while he was returning from an official duty.
This is an indication that this same gang committed that heinous crime. The other two AK-47 rifles, also Service weapons, were snatched from officers who were on duty at Ecobank Ahafo Kenyasi when they were attacked by a gang of armed robbers on 8th September, 2025.
Details of the Operation
Between November 2024 and September 2025, the Police Administration responded to a series of Bank robberies across the country. A critical analysis of these robberies revealed a similar modus operandi employed by the robbers.
Their modus was that, the gang armed with pump action guns attack a bank, hold the security guards hostage, snatch their weapons and use industrial cutting machines to break into the vault of the bank.
Targeted intelligence gathering across the affected regions led Police to one of the suspects, one Kwabena Owusu Ansah alias Kobby an ex-convict who is believed to be the mastermind who recruited several others for the robbery operations.
On 18/09/25 an intelligence team proceeded to Esereso Adagya where sustained surveillance led to the arrest of suspect Kwasi Agyei alias Cobra, the leader of the gang in his hideout at Esereso Adagya. A search conducted in his house and its surroundings led to the retrieval of two (2) AK-47 rifles marked BA 406069 and AB 405216 with a magazine loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition concealed in a sack buried in a pond of water behind his house.
The said weapons were police rifles which were snatched from Police men on duty at Ecobank Kanyase branch on 8th September, 2025. A Toyota Noah mini bus with registration number AS 2956-25 was also recovered and impounded.
On interrogation, suspect Kwasi Agyei alias Cobra admitted to the robberies and mentioned suspects Kwabena Owusu-Ansah alias Kobby, David Obuobi alias Kofi David/Wasty, Francis Acquah alias Preman, Stephen Sey, Martin Akansina alias One Billion, Kwaku Peprah alias X5, Nana Yaw Frimpong alias Mystical, Kojo Atingawo alias Borga, Alhassan Ibrahim, Samuel Appiah alias Akwesi Mugu, Samuel Akwasi Gyan, Natty Bongo, Boozin and Albert as his accomplices in the various robberies.
Further intelligence led to the arrest of David Obuobi alias Wasty, a trotro driver from his hideout at Ejisu Achiaakrom. A search conducted in his room revealed Seven (7) pump action guns, 97 live rounds of AAA ammunition, Four (4) foreign pistols and Thirty- Six (36) live rounds of 9mm ammunition, a hammer, metal cutter, five (5) heavy duty metal chisels and assorted mobile phones.
A red-coloured Toyota Hiace mini bus with registration number AS 9039-21 used in conveying the suspects to the various robbery destinations was also recovered and impounded.
The team later arrested suspect Stephen Sey at Atonsu-Kyirapatre. A search in his silver-coloured Toyota Corolla saloon car No. GG 47-21 led to the retrieval of One AK-47 assault rifle marked GHGP/ASH/TEPA/TP/B-1523 with a magazine loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition concealed in the front passenger door card.
The said AK-47 rifle was observed to be the same Police service rifle which was robbed from the Police officer who was shot and killed by the robbers.
Police moved to Ahwia-Zongo, Aputuogya-Abuontem and Kaase-BOST and arrested suspects Ibrahim Alhassan, 30yrs, taxi driver, Francis Acquah alias Preman, 30yrs, trailer driver and Martin Akansina alias One Billion, 43yrs, truck pusher respectively.
A red and yellow Opel Astra taxi cab with registration No. GT 1992- V and a black Apsonic motor bike No. M-25-AW-2177 were retrieved from suspects Ibrahim Alhassan and Martin Akansina respectively.
The team proceeded to Asuofua where suspect Kwaku Pepprah alias X5 who engaged in a shootout with the police got shot. A Bruni pistol loaded with 4 rounds of ammunition was retrieved from him.
Another team proceeded to Esereso Living Waters and arrested suspect Kwadwo Atingawo, 35yrs, a drinking spot operator and retrieved one single barrel gun and one AAA cartridge from him. The team then went to Apromase near Oduom to arrest suspect Kwabena Owusu Ansah alias Kobby but met his absence.
His red Toyota Corolla No. GR 6076-18 and black Suzuki m/bike No. M-25-AS-9360 were impounded for investigation.
On 19/09/25, acting upon information that the pump action gun robbed at St Martin De Pores Co-Operative Credit Union at Atonsu-Monaco on 14/09/25 was in the custody of suspect Natty Bongo who lived at Pakyi and Obuasi.
A team moved to the location for his arrest. However, the suspect got shot during an exchange of fire with the police. Two pump action guns numbers ASAX-10158-2020 (robbed at the St Martin De Pores) and ASAQ-9367-23, 31 rounds of AAA ammunition and one M&P pistol loaded with 4 rounds of 9mm ammunition were retrieved from him.
The team further proceeded to Buoho near Kronum and arrested suspects Samuel Akwasi Appiah alias Akwesman, 37yrs, trotro driver and Yaw Frimpong, Nana Yaw alias Mystical, 32yrs, an apprentice from their hideouts. A black unregistered Toyota Voxy vehicle was retrieved from suspect Samuel Akwasi Appiah alias Akwesman.
Suspects Kwaku Peprah alias X5, Natty Bongo and Boosen Akwesi Appiah who engaged Police in a shootout during the operation were shot and died while receiving medical attention. The bodies have been deposited at the morgue for preservation and autopsy.
Investigation
From investigation conducted so far, the police report that some of the suspects, upon interrogation have confessed to their involvement in the robberies. In addition, investigation has been able to confirm that some of the suspects were present at the various crime scenes around the time the robberies occurred.
Also, during an identification parade, some of the suspects were positively identified by some victims of the robbery. Additionally, some of the exhibits including the AK-47 rifles, some of the pump action gun and mobile phones have also been positively identified. Investigation is still ongoing.
All the suspects are in custody and will be put before the court while efforts are intensified to get those at large arrested.
