A notorious criminal in Case Coast is in the grips of the Central Regional Police for his alleged involvement in an armed robbery case that happened at Koforidua in the Eastern region.

Nana Ntim Gyakari was initially rescued by the Police from being lynched by some residents of Nkanfua, a suburb of Cape Coast on grounds that he had kidnapped some children.

However, investigations into the kidnapping allegations proved to be untrue but the Police, upon suspicion that the vehicle, Hyundai Atos with the registration number (GE 6039_18) he was using could have been stolen, launched an investigation into it.

Briefing the media on Monday, Commissioner of Police (COP), Paul Manly Awini, Regional Police Commander, said the Police during its investigations discovered that Gyakari had no documents to the vehicle.

He said the Police quickly linked up with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority in Takoradi and received a response on April 12, 2019, that the registration number of the Hyundai Atos was fake because its Customs Management System had the original number as (ER 609-17).

The Customs Division also indicated that the registration number (GE 6039-18) belonged to a Toyota Yaris and the owner was in the Eastern Region and the response from the Customs Division compelled the Police to verify from the DVLA.

He said the DVLA confirmed on August 28, that the number (ER 609-17) belonged to one Mr Boadi in the Eastern Region while the number which was affixed to the Hyundai Atos which the suspect was using belonged to a Toyota Yaris owned by one Mr Amega.

The two owners of the vehicles were invited to the Central Regional Police Headquarters and the Hyundai Atos owner produced documents which proved that he was the owner of the vehicle.

He told the Police that the vehicle was originally a taxi but was stolen by some robbers in Koforidua on June 22, 2018, and the case was reported to the Eastern Regional Police.

Mr. Amega, the owner of the Toyota Yaris whose number was affixed to the stolen vehicle told the police when contacted that his vehicle and its number were intact.

“So it turnout clearly that the number (GE6039_18) which was affixed to the Hyundai Atos is fake,” COP Awini said.

Investigation by the Central Regional Police together with Koforidua Police indicated that Mr Dankwa, driver of Mr Boadi was hired by Gyakari from Kibi to Ages Hotel in Koforidua and the suspect convinced the driver to stay with him for a while to share a meal with him, which he did.

According to the driver, immediately after the meal, he felt drowsy and slept off only to wake up hours later to find that his Hyundai Atos taxi car had been taken away by the suspect together with his phone and some amount of money.

The case was reported to the Eastern Regional CID which was investigating the case to apprehend the suspect.

COP Awini applauded the Central Regional CID for a good job done and cautioned the general public to be wary of foods and drinks offered by unknown people.