Four men arrested for snatching cars

The police have apprehended four men who allegedly butchered a taxi driver after snatching his Toyota Corolla taxicab from him at Mempeasem near Ashaley Botwe in Accra.

The four suspects are John Asare, aka sharki, a 20-year-old trader, Elvis Obiri Yeboah, a 26-year-old driver, Frederick Ago Kotei, 21-year-old fisherman, and Adams Umar Muntalla, 34-year-old student.

They were arrested when the police had a tip-off that the suspects had taken the vehicle to the Konkomba Market and were selling it at a cost of GH¢2,000.

The victim, who sustained a fracture and cuts in the left arm and head during the attack, is responding to treatment at a hospital in Accra.

Briefing DAILY GUIDE about the incident, ASP Effia Tenge, the Accra Regional Police   Spokesperson, said the suspects on May 17, 2016 around 10pm hired the services of the driver of the Toyota Corolla with registration number GE 9520-09 from American House Junction, East Legon to Mempeasem near Ashaley Botwe.

On reaching Mempeasem, the four suspects asked the complainant to stop and he complied.

They attempted to remove the ignition key and when the driver resisted, the suspects attacked him with a machete.

In the process, he sustained wounds on his head and arm.

The suspects drove the car to the Konkomba Market for sale at an amount of GH¢2,000 but police received information of their transaction and managed to apprehend them the following morning when they visited the prospective buyer for the money.

Efforts are underway to process the suspects for court.

Meanwhile, the victim, name withheld, aged 26, who was at the police station to give his statement, told the paper that he was discharged last Saturday from the hospital.

He said the suspects stopped him and hired his services from East Legon to Mempeasem and that when he charged GH¢8, they did not ask for a reduction and sat in the car.

“While on our way, they engaged me in a normal conversation and when we reached their destination, they asked that I take them to another place,” he said.

The victim, who claimed he had been driving for the past six years, added that the suspects told him that they were visiting a friend and that if they got to the house and didn’t meet him, they would let him (driver) take them to their house.

“When we got to a spot which was very quiet, they asked that I stop and one of them attempted to remove my ignition key and after I resisted, they brought out a machete to butcher me, after which they pushed me out of the car and sped off,” he narrated.

He said a report was immediately lodged with the police for investigations.