Pray for us; the system forced us to do this – Armed robbers beg passengers

The bus with registration number, GT 5795-16 was travelling from Takoradi in the Western Region to Kumasi in the Ashanti Region when the five bandits attacked it.

One of the passengers of the bus, Ekua is reported as saying that the vehicle moved from the Abenbebon Station in Apremdo, Takoradi at around 10:30 pm on Sunday.

“At around 3:30 am on Monday, February 21, 2022, about five armed robbers with rifles and other weapons attacked us and made away with our monies and other belongings. All of them were wearing masks,” 3news.com quotes her as having recounted in an interview with Connect FM.

Interestingly, the robbers, after collecting the victims’ belongings, asked them to pray for them because the hardship in the system pushed them into the criminal activity.

“After the robbery, they asked us to pray for them because it was not their will to stop vehicles on the highway and rob passengers of their belongings but the system has compelled them to do so,” Ekua added.

Another victim who claimed to be a driver and was “going to buy an engine for my vehicle at Kumasi” said he lost GH¢8,500 to the gang.

“I’m a driver and I was going to buy an engine for my vehicle at Kumasi. My Mobile Money phone was last week stolen by another set of armed robbers at Kintampo so I decided to carry the money in my bag but unfortunately, I have been robbed again,” he cried as quoted by 3news.com.

The driver of the bus, Agya Owusu narrated to Connect FM how the situation became unavoidable although a fellow driver had signalled him about the danger ahead.

He said: “When I got to Fomena, I saw a driver alerting me with his light that there was danger on the road. I became confused and stopped the vehicle for about five minutes. I realized no vehicle was coming again so I decided to continue my journey. When I moved forward for some minutes, I saw a Sprinter bus on the road with passengers lying on the ground. This is where I realized armed robbers were on the road. There was nothing I could do again because they were very close. They attacked us and took all our monies. They took my GH¢3,400.”

The victims have reportedly lodged an official complaint with Anwiankwanta Police Station.