The police at Akyem Oda in the Eastern Region have arrested a 22-year-old man, James Kwame Annor, alias Kwame James, suspected to be a member of an armed robbery syndicate terrorising the people of Akyem Oda and other parts of the region. When Annor was searched, a locally-manufactured pistol, two cartridges and four wrappers of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp were found on him. The police have also mounted a search for James Kwaku Annor, a cousin of the suspect said to be an accomplice, who is oh the run. The two were said to have made a failed attempt to rob the Dukes fuel station at Oda on Christmas Day. Briefing newsmen at Akyem Oda on Thursday, the Oda Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Ben Atadana, said his outfit had a call from the night watchman of the fuel station at Oda at midnight on Christmas Day that the station was under attack from two armed robbers. He said his men were quickly dispatched there but the two fled when they saw the police. According to Chief Supt. Atadana, because of the threat, the police patrol team intensified its operations in the entire Birim South District. He said during the police operations, the patrol team came across two young men dressed in black attire walking along the Oda-Akyem Abenase portion of the Oda-Nkawkaw main road around 2:30 a.m. He said when the police questioned them about their movement at that odd hour, they could not give any tangible answer but fled into the bush. Chief Supt. Atadana stated that the patrol team alerted the police on barrier duty near the Oda Wood Complex to look out for the two suspects and apprehend them. He said when the two suspects reached the barrier around 3:30 a.m. the police made an attempt to arrest them for investigations and while Kwaku Annor managed to escape, Kwame James was captured. He said during interrogation, Kwame James claimed that a lady based at Oda Old Town had invited them to spend the Christmas with her. He stated that the suspect claimed that the lady later gave them ¢20,000 and asked them to go back to their village at Akyem Wenchi Gate, but after spending the money on food, they decided to walk back home when the police confronted them on the way. According to Chief Supt Atadana, Kwame James alleged that the gun and the cartridges belonged to Kwaku Annor. He said Kwame James would be prosecuted soon. Source: Daily Graphic