Angry residents burn 3 suspected armed robbers alive, 5 of 8-member gang on the run

Residents of Moseaso, a community in the Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region confronted an 8-member alleged armed robbery gang, arrested and burnt three of them alive while the remaining five, including the gang leader, are reportedly on the run.

The extrajudicial lynching followed the shooting and killing of a gold dealer, Frank Arthur, 51, in the community.

Residents who say they have had enough of the activities of criminals in the community decided to take the law into their hands.

Richard Arthur, brother of the murdered gold dealer confirmed the incident to Asankragwa-based Ahobrase FM.

“About 6:30 am, I started calling my brother and he was not answering so I asked someone to go and look for him at the mining site if he was there. After about ten minutes, a call came through that my brother had been shot by armed robbers so I got there immediately. I went and took him straight to the hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival,” 3news.com quotes him as saying.

According to Arthur, while still at the hospital struggling to come to terms with the tragic death of his brother, he got information that some of the alleged criminals had been arrested by the residents and burnt alive.

“I was still at the hospital making arrangement for my brother’s body when I received a call from the community that three of the armed robbers have been arrested. I later arrived in the community and realized they have burnt all three to death”

The bereaved man went on further to disclose that the lynched suspects were known members of the community who were fond of terrorizing the members of the community.

“They have been terrorizing residents in our community. Some of them are ex-convicts and they are known faces in our community. Those who are on the run are from adjourning communities and we trust the police to arrest them in no time.”

The charred bodies of the suspects were reportedly placed inside the bucket of a pickup vehicle, which attracted curious residents as they gathered to catch a glimpse.

It is further reported that the burnt bodies have been deposited at the Asankragwa Catholic Hospital while police have also mounted a search for the remaining five.

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