University of Ghana lecturer robbed at gunpoint

Armed robbers attacked and raided the Ashongman residence of University of Ghana lecturer Dr. Benedicta Fosu-Mensah at gunpoint Sunday dawn.

Narrating her horrifying experience, she told JOYNEWS the robbers beat her up, threatened to kill her and took the family’s vehicle.

The lecturer with Institute of Environment and Sanitation Studies said at about 2 a.m she heard some people jumping into her compound so she woke up to peep through the window.

“I saw four men all armed. The one I had a good view of is one with AK47 rifle and they were trying to find a way into the run,” she said.

She said at that time she started calling the police emergency number to no end so she had to call her neighbour by which time they had started breaking through the burglar proof using cement blocks.

“It took them about 20 minutes to break the burglar proof by then I tried calling my neighbours but none of them were picking up. At that time, I started shouting ‘armed robbers oo help, armed robbers ooo help,” Dr Fosu-Mensah said.

According to her, no one came around and the robbers had succeeded in breaking the window because the lock to that window was spoilt so they made an easy job of it.

They then went for more blocks to hit the security door to the hall and came through straight to my bedroom.

“The first thing they demanded from me was my mobile phone and asked me for money and I gave them the only cash on me which is over GH2000. They said the money was small and demanded more which I didn’t have so they started slapping and beating me with the butt of the rifle,” the disturbed lecturer said.




With a knife, they ripped apart her bed sheets which they used to tie her mouth and hands behind her before going on a frantic search in the house for valuable including jewelry.

Dr Fosu-Mensah who said she feared the worse quickly showed them her jewelry box but the robbers said that was not enough and they needed more.

“They asked for money and I told them I didn’t have anything more in the house, then they took my laptop and asked for my car key which I handed to them.

“They tried to spark my Toyota RAV 4 for several minutes but it was not coming to life. They abandoned that and came back to demand more money. I told them to open all the bags in the house if they doubted me,” she narrated.

She said while two started searching the bags with their rifles pointed the other two went back into the hall and one spotted a door that opens into the garage.

“They opened and saw a Toyota Fortuner and came they came back to tell the others that there was another car in the house and immediately demanded the keys.

“I told them it was for my friend and he had left the keys with his friend. They did not take this lightly and started beating me the more with one saying that they should just kill me,” Dr Fosu-Mensah said.

Fearing for her life after hearing them clock the gun, she told them of a spare key to the car which is in the house.

“So they took the car, my flatscreen TV, laptop, jewelry, mobile phone, camera and anything they could lay a hands on including the stew I prepared for the Easter,” she said.

The matter has been reported to the police and investigations are ongoing.

 

Source:Myjoyonline