Trede branch of Bosomtwe Rural Bank robbed

Armed robbers last Thursday  attacked the Trede  branch of the Bosomtwe Rural Bank in broad daylight and made away with cash which reliable sources put about GH¢76,000. The attack, which lasted about 15 minutes, saw the robbers making away with about GH¢67,000 from the vault, while about GH¢9,000 was snatched from the cashiers.

The robbers also marched all the staff of the bank into one of the offices and locked them up before bolting with the money.

The police have confirmed the attack but would not give details.

However, an eyewitness  told the Daily Graphic that the robbery took place around 1 p.m. when  customers were busily  transacting business.

According to the witness, one of the robbers, who held a black plastic bag that contained  the guns used for the operation, first entered the banking hall and pretended to transact business.

He said not long afterwards, other members of the  gang entered the banking hall to retrieve the guns from the plastic bag  and ordered the staff into one of the offices where they were locked up.

He indicated that the robbers then demanded to know the branch manager and at gunpoint ordered her to take the keys to the strong room.

The robbers further asked the manager to lead them into the strong room where they took away all the money lodged there.

According to the witness, before then, the robbers had robbed the cashiers, adding that customers were not spared, as those who were depositing money into their accounts were forced at gunpoint to surrender the money, together with all mobile phones, to deny the phone owners any opportunity to contact anyone outside.

The mobile phones of the staff of the bank were also collected by the robbers during the attack.

Explaining further, the witness indicated that  the robbers first attacked the security man on duty, brutally assaulted him and bit part of his ears before turning their attention on the staff and customers
in the main banking hall.

He said  the whole operation took less than 15 minutes, adding that when the police arrived at the bank, the robbers had finished their operation and escaped in a waiting pick-up.

When contacted, the Human Resource Manager of the bank, Mr Osei Boateng,  confirmed the robbery attack .

He could, however, not determine the exact amount of money taken by the robbers, saying the staff were so traumatised by the attack that they could not compose themselves to determine the total amount.

He also confirmed that the police had started investigations but were yet to make any arrest and expressed the hope that they would expedite action to bring the perpetrators to book.

The Board Chairman, Mr Philip Bondah, also confirmed the robbery attack and described it as very serious.

He said when he received a report on the robbery, he quickly alerted the Police Buffalo Unit in Kumasi and the Asokwa Police, who quickly rushed there, but when they reached the banking hall, the robbers had left the scene.

He also confirmed that the robbers had marched the branch manager into the strong room where  she had been forced, at gunpoint, to open the vault for them to ransack it,  while others entered the teller cages and robbed the cashiers.

According to Mr Bondah, apart from the security man who was injured as a result of his initial resistance to the robbers, none of the staff was injured.

He said the management was meeting to write a report on the robbery.

The police also confirmed the robbery and indicated that no arrest had been made.

Source: Daily Graphic