A CARETAKER of the Seventh Day Adventist Church at Bantama in Kumasi has been shot dead by armed robbers over GH¢4,200.
Identified as Mark Ampofo, 50, the caretaker was attacked while entering the church premises after returning from the bank, where he had reportedly withdrawn GH¢4,200.
Unknown to Ampofo, who was on foot, the hoodlums who rode two motorbikes were tracing him. One of the hoodlums eventually snatched the money from him in the full glare of the public on Tuesday afternoon, but the caretaker who was not ready to surrender the money then shouted “thief! thief!” to draw the attention of the public.
In the process, another robber, who rode a different motorbike, appeared at the scene and shot him and they all bolted with their motorbikes. The daylight robbery subsequently attracted a sizeable number of people to the scene.
Ampofo, who was then lying in a pool of blood, was quickly rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) where he was pronounced dead.
A Clerk of the church, Stephen Boakye, who was visibly shaken over the deadly incident, said he suspected the robbers traced Ampofo from the bank. According to him, a cheque of GH¢4,200 was given to Ampofo to withdraw from a bank at Abrepo Junction in Kumasi.
The church clerk said because the church was close to the bank, Ampofo decided to go there on foot.
Meanwhile, the Suame District police are reported to have launched a massive operation aimed at arresting the robbers.
FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi