Yaounde: Police arrests, parades gang of suspected thieves, others connected to robbery.

According to the Commissioner of the Central Police Station No.1 in Yaounde, Police Commissioner Medou Thierry, the arrest of the suspected gang members, follows investigations carried out after an armed robbery occurred in the morning of August 11. 

The tragedy, which is said to have occurred at about 9 a.m., involved a gang of three individuals, who attacked the home of a widow, Kitekwe Mballa Véronique Épse Guentang Boyomo. 

The two suspects, we gathered, were armed with an automatic pistol. During their operation, they held the owner and other occupants of the house at hostage before dispossessing them of their belongings.

Commissioner Medou said the thieves took away 1.5 million FCFA. He also added that they also collected jewellery and other accessories worth over 5,000,000 FCFA.

After what the thieves thought was a successful robbery, they were handed a brutal reality check. The robbers, it was disclosed, fled on their motorcycles. Alerted by some concerned neighbours who launched a manhunt, the police revealed, some inhabitants of the neighbourhood pursued the thieves. 

Also, a team from the anti-gang brigade of the Central Police Station No.1, who were not far from the scene, also set off after the thieves, around the Etoudi neighbourhood. 

Thanks to their prompt intervention, the criminals were apprehended. The ant-gang squad was able to rescue the thieves from the fangs of a mob that was about lynching them. 

During the operation, an automatic pistol was also recovered from the assailants. A third suspect is said to have escaped.

The arrest of the two suspected thieves, Nga She Francis Gaël and Bissa’a Aimé Joseph, led to the arrest of a third suspect, Muo David Ichu, who, although not involved in the robbery, was said to have been an active member of the gang. He is said to have carried out other robberies with the suspects.

Apart from Muo David Ichu, the only member of the gang resident in Yaoundé, the rest of the gang lived outside the city, with Nga She Francis Gaël and Bissa’a Aimé Joseph living in Douala and Edea respectively. 

Police makes three more arrests connected to case 

According to Commissioner Medou, three more arrests connected to the robbery case were made some weeks later. 

When the suspects were arrested, some youngsters from the Etoudi neighbourhood took advantage of the police officers' concentration of arresting the robbers to steal the bag containing the money. 

Subsequent investigations, Commissioner Medou said, led to the arrest of two individuals; Belinga Victor and Louis Nkoussa Christian, who had stolen the bag.

The two individuals are said to have confessed to their crime. Also, an analysis of Nkoussa Louis's telephone revealed that on the day of the robbery, after sharing the money with his accomplice, he had deposited the money in the account of his mother, Tchana Djeulong Épouse Nkoussa. She was also arrested by the police. 

The police said of the 1.5 million FCFA stolen, only 300,000 FCFA was recovered alongside some accessories. They have been handed over to the owner. 

Arrests fruits of cooperation with police 

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Police Commissioner Medou Thierry said the arrests of the six persons connected to robbery, was the fruit of collaboration between the police and the population. 

The Police Commissioner hailed the population for their intervention and support. He urged them to continue working with the police. He encouraged them to reach out via the toll free numbers; 117 and 1500, to report other cases. 

The Police Commissioner seized the occasion to assure the population of their safety. He promised that forces of law and order will redouble efforts to crack down on other criminals to obtain similar results. 

Commissioner Medou also thanked the Delegate General for National Security, DGSN, for his support in helping them carry out the operation. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3225 of Tuesday September 10, 2024