Five Arrested Over Armed Robbery at Asankrangwa Mining Firm

Police in Ghana’s Western Central Region have arrested five suspects in connection with a violent robbery attack on a Chinese-owned heavy-duty machinery company at Asankrangwa in the Amenfi West Municipality.

According to preliminary police investigations, the incident occurred on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at about 7:20 p.m., when a group of armed men stormed the premises of Velotop Co. Ltd., located at Malta, a suburb of Asankrangwa.

The suspects, reportedly wielding pump-action guns, a pistol, and machetes, held workers hostage and made away with cash amounting to GHS 200,000. During the attack, three Chinese nationals were handcuffed, locked in a room, and later rescued after the robbers fled the scene in a black Toyota Voxy vehicle with registration number GS 576-25.

Police say a patrol team from Asankrangwa responded swiftly after receiving a distress call, but the suspects had already escaped. An alert was immediately issued to snap checkpoints across the المنطقة.

The getaway vehicle was later intercepted along the Asankrangwa–Sefwi Bekwai road at the Sumpre checkpoint. The suspects attempted to flee upon seeing police officers but were pursued and arrested with support from a nearby patrol team.

The five suspects have been identified as Issahaku Ibrahim, 42; Fatau Af, 25; Yahaya Mumuni, 26; Emmanuel Antwi, 22; and Rashid Abdul, 22. Police confirmed that two additional suspects managed to escape and are currently on the run.

A search conducted on the vehicle led to the retrieval of several items, including two pump-action guns, 14 AA cartridges, a Bruni Mod 84 Cal 9 PAK pistol loaded with eight rounds of ammunition, a machete, multiple mobile phones, two CCTV camera decoders, three pairs of handcuffs, and GHS 198,200 in cash.

Further investigations revealed that the suspects are residents of Obuasi and allegedly travelled to Asankrangwa specifically to carry out the robbery. Authorities believe the group was led by an accomplice based in Asankrangwa, who is currently at large.

The suspects are in police custody assisting with investigations and are expected to be arraigned before court soon.

The Regional Police Command has assured the public of its commitment to maintaining law and order and has urged citizens to provide credible information to aid in the arrest of the remaining suspects.